


Lost Boy

by ToffeeFifi



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Comfort, Eddsworld and Crash Zoom same universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Medicine, Platonic Cuddling, Psychological Trauma, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Suicide Attempt, Tord Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:39:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 57,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22281220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToffeeFifi/pseuds/ToffeeFifi
Summary: I am a lost boy from NeverlandUsually hanging out with Peter PanAll Tord ever wanted was to have friends in his life. People that accepted him for who he was. He'd found what he was looking for, but like every time he opened his doors to others, he shut them out and almost killed them.And when we're bored we play in the woodsAlways on the run from Captain HookTom went out late at night to grab snacks, when he bumped into the Norwegian, two years after he had believed he was dead."Run, run, lost boy, " they say to meDo second chances really exist?Away from all of reality
Relationships: Edd & Matt & Tom & Tord (Eddsworld), Edd & Matt & Tom (Eddsworld), Edd & Matt (Eddsworld), Edd & Tom (Eddsworld), Edd & Tord (Eddsworld), Edd/Matt (Eddsworld), Edd/Matt/Tom/Tord (Eddsworld), Edd/Tom (Eddsworld), Edd/Tord (Eddsworld), Eduardo & Jon & Mark (Eddsworld), Katya/Kim (Eddsworld), Matt & Tord (Eddsworld), Matt/Tom (Eddsworld), Matt/Tord (Eddsworld), Patryck & Paul & Tord (Eddsworld), Patryck/Paul (Eddsworld), Tom & Tord (Eddsworld), Tom/Tord (Eddsworld)
Comments: 54
Kudos: 140





	1. Struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically a catch up after the previous episode.

2 years had passed after the horrific event known as **‘The End’**. The people that had been influenced chose not to speak about the incident and instead moved on.

The three that had been deeply cut by the event had to move into an apartment complex. Edd, Matt and Tom lived on the 6th floor, coincidentally next to each other. The former duo were thankful that Tom had chosen this place when he did, and they all got settled in as they slowly began forgetting about it. Tom was still a bit hurt by it, as he drank more and spent most time on his balcony. 

Their previous neighbours had spent an entire year in the hospital for their friends. Jon had suffered severe damage from the missile, many flesh wounds and 2nd degree burns. He had fallen into a 7 month long coma and the doctors began considering putting him down, but Eduardo had fought for the rights to his friend to be kept on life support. Mark had gotten them a lawyer and they fortunately won the case. Shortly after, the dirty blond male had woken up from his coma, staying in the hospital for an extra 4 months before he and his friends were finally discharged.

Tord, the Red Leader of the Red Army, had been hurt from the event the most. Despite the 2 year gap from his wrongdoing, the ginger haired male could never forgive himself. He kept himself locked up in his room, barely coming out. The Norwegian’s two close friends, Paul and Patryk, worried for his health. The damage he had suffered to his right arm was horrendous and they almost considered amputating it. It was held off in an operation, and now had to be bandaged up. The right side of his face also had been scarred, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Tord had managed to go mostly blind in his right eye, and it sucked. Everyone had moved on...but him.

* * *

A sigh echoed around the bare walls of the empty room, a small figure hunched in the corner with a plate of food in front of him. If no one had told you who this was, you would have shrugged it off. But this was the Red Leader, the leader of an entire army in Norway. A man with such title should not be acting like this. Tord knew this, but to be honest he didn't care. Pushing the bacon that had gone stone cold, he finally looked up towards the door as he heard footsteps approaching his room. His door opened and Paul entered the room with a cup of cocoa in his hands as Tord pathetically faced the floor, the light of the hallway illuminating his charred face.

“Boss?” Paul called, his eyes glancing towards the plate. Yet another unfinished meal. “I brought you some cocoa.”

Tord didn't reply and only sighed again, leaning his head against the cold walls. Paul gently shut the door, the room once again going dark. The 22 year old made his way towards his leader, seating himself beside Tord and placing the mug onto the floor. Through the darkness, Paul could see the tears forming in Tord’s eyes.

“Thinking about them again?” He asked, getting a frown from Tord.

“I didn't mean it…” The 18 year old mumbled, attempting to wipe his tears. Paul gave him a sad smile as he carefully wrapped his arms around the other.

“I know, Boss.” He replied. The room was silent again as the two remained in that position for a while. Paul was slightly glad it wasn't another panic attack, those always worried him so much.

When Tord finally regained his senses, he wiped away his tears, his one brown eye falling onto the mug. Paul gently took the ginger’s hand and wrapped it around the mug of cocoa, successfully warming it up.

“Please try to finish this, alright?” Paul lamented, watching as Tord lifted the mug and glanced at the liquids. A moment passed before two words slipped out of the teen’s mouth.

“I'll try…”

Paul felt a small smile tugging at his cheeks; trying was better than nothing, he supposed. “Thank you, boss. Try and get some sleep too.” He said, beginning to stand up. The adult stumbled in surprise when he felt a tug on the sleeve of his jacket and looked down to see Tord glancing up at him with pleading eyes.

“Don't leave…” Tord whimpered, relaxing when Paul reluctantly sat back down.

“I won't leave if you don't want me to.” Paul gently said. Tord bashfully looked away as he took a sip of the cocoa and melting as it tasted pretty good; god he felt like such a child. He didn't like how he was being treated like one; his soldiers were wasting their time on him. It was almost laughable...how pathetic he was.

“Do you mind if hum, boss?” Paul questioned, almost barely noticing how Tord flinched when he spoke.

“U-Uh….o-of course n-not…” Tord muttered, absentmindedly leaning into Paul instead of the wall. Paul shut his eyes and began to gently hum a native song, as Tord listened intently. The tune, along with Paul's soothing hums, helped calm Tord down. He forgot his worries for a while, focusing only on Paul's humming and the cocoa in his hands. It was as if the world around them was disappearing and Tord could barely keep his eyes open any longer. How much sleep had he gotten last night again? An hour? Half of that? Whatever, it didn't matter anymore…

Within a matter of minutes, Tord had fallen asleep without even realising it. Paul looked over his shoulder to see the mug slowly slipping out of the young adult's hands and gently took it from him, peering into the contents; it was half empty. Smiling a bit, Paul placed the mug onto the floor and cupped his hands around Tord’s body. After tucking him into bed, Paul began to clean the room up a little. The torn blueprints into the bin and the discarded clothes into the wardrobe. Paul was just about to leave the room when a glimmering object caught his attention.

It was a framed photo of Tord with his friends and the date read 02-2013. So long ago. Paul peered at the photo to look over the faces of his boss and his friends. Tord seemed so happy in the photo; laughing away as a teen in blue ruffled his hair. Two other boys stood by the two, one in a green hoodie cuddling his cat and smiling at the others, and another in a purple hoodie grinning at the camera. The glass frame had been cracked slightly, the pieces sitting beside the photo.

Paul slowly took the shattered fragments of glass off the floor and placed the photo upright on the desk before he scooped the mug and plate and left his leader to his sleep. The adult bumped into his colleague in the kitchen and placed the food and glass into the bins with a sigh, leaving the mug on the counter.

“How is he?” The other male queried, noticing how Paul dumped the food.

“He isn't getting any better, Patryk!” Paul snapped, slamming his fist on the counter, as Patryk flinched at the harsh action.

“Paul, calm do-” Patryk began.

“I can't stay calm!” Paul stressed, brushing a hand over his hair. “He's starving himself and refusing to see any light. He won't even get off that damned floor unless we push him to.”

Patryk remained silent at his friend's outburst, not knowing was was needed to be said. It will be okay didn't seem right. why? Because it wouldn't be okay.

“Tord is just a child.” Paul said. “He shouldn't be like this...this is our fault.”

Patryk bit his lip in worry; he wasn't really one for comfort; Paul was usually the mother hen. It was at times like these he wished he could use the memory eraser gun, but he would never do such things. Wrapping his arms around Paul, the older male gave him a light pat.

“I think there's a few paperwork downstairs. How about you go and finish them off?” Patryk suggested. “It'll take your mind off things.”

Paul gave him a shaky nod, placing his shoes back on as Patryk glanced at the bandages over his eye with a frown. Once he was sure Paul had left, Patryk looked down the hallway to Tord’s room. Just a little peek wouldn't hurt.

Patryk slowly walked towards the door and gently pushed it open. Tord was knocked out on his bed, clutching something in his hand. The 24 year old male sighed a breath of relief as he clicked the door shut. At least Tord was finally asleep; with how peaceful he looked, the teen would be asleep for a few more hours. A relief to both friends. Setting off to his own room, Patryk began to think.

The entire event had been all by accident. Tord had a mission to complete, but he had been so overwhelmed by his friends that he had gotten distracted for a few days. The mission itself was simple enough; break into the house while they were out, retrieve the blueprints for a robot eye and get out before they arrived.

The teenager had been caught in the middle of breaking into Edd's room and proceeded to cover it up. He was invited to stay and complied without hesitation. Tord didn't want them to find out exactly who he was, but Tom had stumbled into a wanted poster and confronted him about it. Tord panicked and reacted on instinct; proceeding to do the unthinkable and released his robot.

It was a freak accident cause by Tord’s rational fear of being caught. Patryk hummed as he slipped off his navy blue overcoat, leaving him in a red sweater and tracksuit bottoms. If he had to be honest, he probably would have done the same thing.

Yawning and practically collapsing into bed, the adult faced the ceiling of his room with a deep sigh. “Jeez, Tord. What are you doing?” Patryk asked aloud, before burying himself under the pillows and falling asleep.

He really hoped everything would turn out okay; Paul and Tord were worrying him so.

* * *

Tom groaned as he threw his head back, downing some more alcohol as he glared into the night sky. He was perched up on his balcony railing, an entire box of Smirnoff on a stool by his side. When the content of the bottle were emptied, he smashed the glass onto the wall behind him before grabbing another. He was pretty sure he had gotten drunk, but he didn't give a damn. 

Tipping the entire bottle into his mouth, Tom had finished his 11th drink within a few seconds. Another thought crossed his mind for the 7th time tonight as he snarled and tossed the bottle back with improved force, listening to the glass shatter against the wall. It had been two years, damnit! Why couldn't he move on?

That was the thing; he couldn't. Everything that had happened on that day had been burnt into his mind. The way Edd looked so betrayed, his heart shattered into pieces. The shock on Matt’s face when he returned to an absolutely demolished house and the immense anger he felt for Tord. The limp and motionless body of his neighbour.

Tom had killed Tord. Not just his old friend; but a human being like him. He had watched the robot as it exploded; there was no way the Norwegian had survived.

“Damnit!” Tom yelled, furiously wiping his tears. His mind would not stop thinking about the times they had spent together before Tord left.

Sure, Tord was a complete and utter asshole, but he was a great friend. No matter the times Tom had denied being friends with him, he was probably the closest to Tord out of the three. Tom flinched when he heard his bedroom door opening and almost fell off the balcony. Who the hell was in his house? Maybe someone broke in. He was too drunk to even stand, how would he-

_“Tom…?”_

Oh, that's right. He gave an extra key to both Matt and Edd in case of emergency. Tom grunted in response, not taking his eyes off the twinkling stars. He listened to the other male's footsteps approach the balcony.

“Tom...could you get down from there?” Edd gently asked, as the male inwardly winced. Tom hated it when Edd spoke softly, it usually meant he was worried.

“Dun’ wanna.” Tom slurred, swaying a bit as he held onto another bottle of Smirnoff.

“Tom, please?” Edd attempted again, placing some exaggeration on the word _‘please’_. Oh god, he was doing **that** face wasn't he? Tom could almost hear Edd pulling his puppy face as he sighed.

“Fine.” Tom finally agreed, swinging his legs back and hopping onto the balcony. Somehow, Edd had managed to pull Tom into the house and seat him onto his bed.

“Can I see your arm?” Edd gently asked. Tom was about to refuse, but when he saw Edd giving him a glare that said _‘Don't you dare’_ , the teen hesitantly showed his arm to his friend. Edd sighed at the sight of fresh cuts and looked up to face Tom, who was currently averting his gaze.

“Tom…” Edd began.

“That's from a bottle. I swear.” Tom reassured him, watching as Edd grabbed some antibiotics and plasters out of his drawer. The room remained silent as Edd cleaned his wounds and Tom glared at the ticking clock on his wall.

_Tick….tick...tick tick...tick...ti….ck……._

“Have you taken your pills?” Edd asked, frowning when he got a shake of the head. “Well, you've certainly...drank a lot. How about you sleep the alcohol off?”

“I killed him, Edd…” Tom quietly said, flinching when the usually happy male froze on the spot. It took a while, but Edd finally snapped out of it and gently placed a hand on Tom's knee. He was used to it, after all; Tom only spoke about it when he was drunk.

“You did what you had to, Tom.” Edd answered. “You were concerned for the safety of your friends and went through a fight or flight response.”

“I didn't mean to kill him..” Tom choked out before he broke. The usually stoic and stable man was now a sobbing mess; bonus points being drunk. Edd felt his lip tremble as he watched Tom grieving over their dead friend.

“Oh, Tom.” Edd breathed, pulling his friend in for a hug as he too, cried. They had lost Tord within a flash of events.

It took almost an hour before Tom had cried himself to sleep and Edd had tucked him in. The brown haired boy made sure to lock the balcony doors and clicked the lights off before he left Tom’s apartment. Edd jumped when he saw a figure by the door, but relaxed after noticing Matt’s face through the dim lights. 

“I, um...kinda overheard Tom mumbling to himself, so I wanted to check on him.” Matt explained, fiddling with the button of his purple pajama shirt. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah, just a bit drunk. He's still thinking about Tord.” Edd answered, feeling his eyes tears tear up when he even mentioned the Norski’s name.

“O-Oh..” was all the strawberry blond haired teen could say. Edd awkwardly shuffled past Matt, giving him a small pat on his shoulder.

“I’m going to head off to bed.” He announced. “You should probably get to sleep, too.”

Matt nodded in response as he twisted open his apartment door. “Alright. Goodnight, Edd.”

Edd watched as Matt shut his door and gave a small smile. “Night, Matt.” He muttered, before residing back into his own apartment. Weaving between his belongings in the dark, Edd made his way to his bed and collapsed into it. A small object rumbled beside him and Edd almost flew out of the bed before remembering he had left his cat there.

“Hey, Ringo.” Edd tiredly mumbled, reaching over to pet her. The grey cat purred in response and tilted her head so he could scratch behind her ears.

“Sorry I left you. Tom was worrying me.” He gently said. Ringo moved closer to Edd and buried her head in between his arms and chest. “He's fine now, don't worry.” Edd muttered, before finally falling asleep beside Ringo, Tom on his mind as he drifted off to slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to this story! Enjoy your stay because there will be feels, fights, angst and fluff all around.


	2. Sorbets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord and his two soldiers decide to go on a late night ice cream dash to cheer their boss up.  
> Tom, currently drunk out of his mind, also sets out for some ice cream.  
> Hmmm...

When Tord woke up, it took him a full 20 minutes to force himself out of bed. Rubbing his tired eyes and yawning, the ginger peered over at the clock to see it was 2 in the afternoon. Tord scrunched his nose in confusion, slipping on his hoodie and heading towards the door, cursing in his native tongue as he did so. “Hva i helvete, Patryk?”

The 18 year old almost stormed into his friend's office but stopped himself to grab a bagel from the kitchen. He...was actually pretty hungry. Tord practically moaned at the flavour of it, and without realising it, he had finished the entire bagel.

“Nice to see you're finally eating, Boss.” Paul's sudden gravelly voice made Tord jump and stumble for balance.

“Y-you didn't wake me.” Tord gently said, fiddling with the strings on his hoodie. Couldn't he say at least one sentence without stuttering?

“You got a full 12 hours sleep. We didn't want to ruin that.” Paul replied with a small smile. Tord just nodded slightly at that, his knees practically shaking as an awkward silence ensued. When Paul spoke up, Tord had been so startled that he hit his elbow on the counter.

“Your appointment is in an hour. Would you like to speak to the soldiers?” Paul asked, giving the other an option. Tord hummed in response and turned his head towards the balcony where some soldiers were occupied with training.

“...don't w-want to.” The Norski mumbled as Paul nodded in understanding.

“Alright, Boss. Shall we get going?” The 22 year old questioned, blinking in surprise when Tord almost immediately latched onto him, gripping his arm as he did so. Paul chuckled gently and gave him a soft pat on the shoulder. “I'll take that as a yes, then.”

It took the two about 45 minutes to get to the doctor's room, since it was on the other side of base. Soldiers stopped by to report to Paul, often giving their leader a sympathetic look as he shyed away into Paul's jacket. They all knew how traumatic it was for Tord, with him basically being the youngest member of the Red Army. 

When they finally arrived at the room, Tord’s heart was racing as he held up a fist to knock. He didn't want to do this….but he wanted to get better.

_Knock knock knock!_

“Come in!” A female voice called from the inside as Tord slowly began to back away. This wasn't right. He was scared, he didn't want to do this-

“Hey,” a gentle voice snapped him out of thoughts and Tord looked up to see Paul giving him a warm smile. “You'll be okay, I promise.” The adult reassured him. Before he knew what he was even doing, Tord had given his friend a hug. Paul was a bit taken aback by the gesture but slowly wrapped his arms around the other.

The two pulled away from the hug and Tord pushed open the door, giving his second-in-command a small wave. The door clicked shut, leaving the teenager with a complete stranger.

His brown eyes settled onto the woman who was sitting on a couch with a clipboard and pen in hand. She had jet black hair and almost emerald green eyes. The woman was also dressed in regular clothing rather than professional; probably to make Tord feel more welcome. Her eyes gazed over his figure before she smiled at him. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Tord. Please have a seat.” She softly greeted. “My name is Sunny.”

The teen awkwardly shuffled to the couch and practically collapsed onto it as he fiddled with his fingers. He did not enjoy talking to new people, it just numbed his body and gave him anxiety all over. “H-Hello, Sunny..” He managed to choke out.

The first five minutes of the session was pretty much like any therapy session; asking about how much he ate, how long he slept, those kind of things. Tord recited the information to her like it was a script due to his other sessions. Sunny kept making humming noises to reassure the boy that she had been listening; all the while jotting down some notes on that clipboard. Finally, she put the pen and paper away to focus on Tord, speaking in a gentle tone so it wouldn't startle him.

“Har du tatt medisinen din?”

Tord blinked in surprise; she knew Norwegian? That explained the accent, he supposed. His gaze fell to his shoes as he answered the question. “...N-No.”

Flinching when he heard Sunny sigh at him, Tord shifted in his seat and internally prayed that the session would be over soon. He would admit; Sunny was slightly better than the other therapists he had. She didn't ask any personal questions on the first day and gave him time to answer the questions, being very patient. Something no other therapist had. ¹

“Tord, you have to take it at least once a day.” Sunny said. “It may as well be the cause of your increased night terrors.”

Tord listened as she lectured him, cursing himself for not just lying. She was already bothered with him. She might as well just leave n-

“Jeg prøver å hjelpe, Tord…” Sunny gently spoke, watching as the male flinched in his seat.

“I k-know…” The teen mumbled, wiping the tears away with the palm of his hand. God, he was so pathetic. “Everyone i-is…”

Sunny reached over the coffee table to gently place a reassuring hand on his lap and gave him a small smile. “Then try. Don't force it upon yourself...but try.” She advised.

“...Jeg vil.” Tord finally nodded, almost flying off the couch when Sunny began to stand up and pack her things. Wait, what?

“Thank you very much. That will be all for today.” Sunny announced, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Tord reluctantly stood up after her as she began to head towards the door. “Is it alright with you if we book your appointment in the next two weeks? My schedule is full at the moment and I'm afraid I don't have time for a day-to-day session.” Sunny questioned.

“O-Oh! Uh, s-sure thing!” Tord stuttered. At least he would only see her once every two weeks; he didn't think he could take on this much pressure every day. Sunny nodded in response and was just about to open the door when the male stopped her.

“U-Um...you won't l-leak this information, r-right?” Tord queried, feeling his voice crack at the end of the sentence. 

“Of course not. Your secrets are safe with me, Tord. Cross my heart until I die.” Sunny replied as the teen gave her a nervous smile. 

“A-Alright. T-Thank you.” He stammered, watching as she opened the door and walked out. Tord left the room with a sigh, before he bumped into a rather tall figure. Rapidly shooting apologies at the person, he backed away before he realised it was Patryk.

“No need to apologise, Boss.” Patryk gently chuckled, peering into direction that Sunny had headed out. “Jeg er ganske sjalu. Du har en varm terapeut.”

Tord felt his face flush in embarrassment as he hid into his hoodie, flipping the other off. “F-Faen deg, Patryk…” He mumbled in annoyance. Tord looked up when he noticed Paul wasn't there, which was strange; those two practically went everywhere together. “W-Where’s Paul?”

“Oh, he just left to make an announcement. I can grab him if you want.” Patryk suggested, nodding when Tord shook his head.

“D-Don't want to b-bother him.” He said, looking back up towards Patryk. “C-Can we go out for i-ice cream later?”

“But, Boss! You can't be seen in public and-” Patryk began to argue, but trailed off when Tord gently pulled on his arm.

“Please. ..”

Patryk thought about his answer. Tord did have, er…. _differences_ to his face, so it may just be possible that no one would recognise him. And Paul and him could just wear regular clothing to blend in. This might just work. Patryk sighed in defeat, but smiled towards his leader. “Alright, once we finish up work.”

* * *

Tom sighed as he looked up at the clock in his apartment; 6pm. Edd and Matt had left a couple hours ago to help Eduardo and the others with rebuilding their house, and wouldn't be back until 8. The male had spent most of the afternoon sitting on the sofa as the TV blared the news. He hadn't really been paying attention to what was being said, rather having his own thoughts as he pet Ringo. 

Grabbing his flask off the table, he took a swig of it as Ringo meowed at him. “I know, I shouldn't be drinking.” Tom mumbled. “I just...can't help it.”

The cat simply replied by knocking the flask off the coffee table as Tom gave her a small chuckle. “That could work.” He said, heaving himself so that he could stand up, immediately regretting his decision as a wave of nausea washed over him.

_Note to self Tom; don't stand up after a swig of Smirnoff._

Ringo meowed at him in concern as he grabbed the corner of the shelves for balance. “ ‘M fine…” Tom mumbled.

_No, I am absolutely not fine._

Shut up, me.

The teen made his way into the kitchen, a sudden craving for ice cream washing over him, and opened the refrigerator. No ice cream. Sighing in disappointment, Tom shut the door and got out his phone to text Edd. If he was gonna go out for ice cream, he might as well ask the others if they wanted anything.

_You: ran out of ice cream. wnt some?_

_Edd: Sure thing. If you don't have enough cash, you're free to take some of mine._

_You: I mnt wt flvr?_

_Edd: I'd like vanilla and Matt wants strawberry._

_You: Kay_

_Edd: Make sure to drop Ringo off at Jake’s, alright?_

_You: ofc_

_Edd: And don't get any more drunk, I can see from the way you're texting you've already drunk a lot._

_You: scrw u_

Pocketing his phone, Tom returned into the living room with a few bags of kitty treats and shut the TV off. “Come on, Ringo. I've got to go buy a few things. You don't mind staying with Jake again, do you?” The Brit asked, smiling when she leapt off the sofa and towards the front door, meowing frantically at him. “Alright, I'm coming!”

Ringo really enjoyed staying at Jake’s place; the guy was almost an exact replica of Edd. Fishing out for his room key, Tom unlocked the door and followed the grey cat down to the apartment room. Tom rang the doorbell and Jake opened it with a smile. ²

“Oh, hey Tom!” He cheerfully said.

“Hi, Jake. We ran out of couple things so I was gonna head to the store.” Tom said, pulling his stoic face as he planted the bags into the man's hands. “Mind taking care of Ringo?”

Jake’s smile widened when he heard the cat's name. “Oh, not at a-”

“Great. See you in about an hour.” Tom cut him off and began to head to the elevator. He paused when he heard his name being called and looked over his shoulder to see Jake standing by his apartment door, keys in hand and a soft look in his eyes.

"Take care, alright?" He called.

Snorting to himself, Tom approached the elevator and pushed one hand into his hoodie pockets. "Yeah, fine." He pressed the button and left the building, before getting into his car and driving off.

While he was stuck in a traffic light, the man took the time count his money to see if he even had enough. “...and that's £5. Cool, enough for two extra bottles of Smirnoff.” Tom announced with and smile, pressing onto the pedal once the lights hit green. He frowned when he remembered what Edd had told him in the morning.

_“Tom, you drink at least 6 bottles a day. That is not healthy! If you don't stop now, you're going to die!!”_

Die, huh? Tom let out a snort as he turned a bend. Death didn't really seem as frightening anymore. After with what happened with Tord-

Tom let out a sharp gasp as he spun the steering wheel and pressed hard on the brakes. His car came to screeching halt into a bush and his tyres were practically sizzling.The 18 year old couldn't do anything at that moment, as his heart raced, his breathing rapidly increased and his hands trembled.

He could just about see the gas tank just metres away from his car….he was about to die. Tom’s thoughts were so trained on the past that he wasn't focusing on the present.

Tom could hear people calling for him and asking him if he was okay. He wanted to reply and reassure them, but his lips would not move. He was frozen in fear...just staring straight ahead.

It took someone to break the window of his car and unlock it from the outside, as well as two hands placing themselves onto his shoulders to finally snap him out of it. Tom looked up at the blue eyes that were looking at him in concern before the bystander spoke. 

“Can you hear me?” The 30 something year old asked him. Tom barely managed to nod as the adult sighed in relief. “You avoided an accident, son. Would you like me to take you to a-”

_Hospital._

“No.” Tom sternly cut him off. “I'm fine, thanks for worrying about me.”

“But, kid I-”

“Goodbye now.” Tom said, pressing on the pedal and driving off, slamming his car door as he did so. Great. Just great. How was he gonna find the money to fix the window? The teen kept his eyes focused on the road this time as he thought. 

Why had that happened? It never happened to him before. And it occurred right when he thought about.... _him_. But why? 

Tom shook his head in an attempt to banish those thoughts from his mind and instead switched on the radio to listen to Welcome To The Black Parade, humming along to the lyrics. 

He came out for ice cream. 

He was not going to get distracted. 

After all....Tord was gone. 

_….right…?_

* * *

It had taken him a half hour drive to finally arrive at the ice cream place. Far distance, but it was worth it. The ice cream sold here were very good quality in comparison to the ones you would find in a corner shop.

Getting out of his car and making sure he locked it somehow, Tom pocketed his hands and began to head into the store, his pitch black eyes scanning the area. It seemed like they were about to start a fireworks displays, and everyone had a smile on their face. Tom didn't really do smiles; his cheeks hurt whenever he did.

Tom pushed open the door, cringing as the bell that rang the moment he did so and walked to the back of the store to fetch the tubs of ice cream. He got all three flavours; chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, as well as a small box before he headed towards the checkout. The lady behind the counter didn't say much as she scanned Tom’s items, only looking up at him to give him a sympathetic smile. “Tough times, huh?” She questioned, handing him the bag and taking the money.

“Yeah, er...something like that.” Tom replied, nervously taking the bag from her and watching as she placed his money into the cash register.

“You'll get through it, man.” She added, focusing on her next customer as the male shuffled out of the way. 

“Thanks...I guess?” Tom said, heading back to his car. Thankfully it hadn't been stolen, so he unlocked it and dumped the bag inside. Tom jumped as he heard a loud boom erupt from the sky and turned around, fully expecting some kind of attack on the city; relaxing when he realised it was only the fireworks. His empty eyes glanced up to look at the sparkling objects in the sky, leaning into the side of his car. It was actually really pretty.

Huh…

_Something was really familiar about the guy to the far left._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, if any of you are actually Norwegian, I apologise for using Google Translate. I know it's not the best way, but I'm too lazy to do anything else.
> 
> ¹ Tord has had previous therapists, but they're always those half assed ones who didn't give a shit about the patient and only did the job for the money. So when he saw Sunny telling him he could take as much time as he wanted, he was obviously surprised.
> 
> ² And here we have Jake, the trio's trusted catkeeper. Edd always takes Ringo over here whenever he's too busy to take care of her, or just to give Ringo some playdates with the other apartment cats.
> 
> Oop- first cliffhanger of the story! Can't wait until you all read the next chapter I have ready.


	3. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red and Blue clash and it can go two ways

Paul let out a sigh of relief as he clicked the pen off and collapsed into his chair. That was the last of the paperwork done for today. Groaning and slipping his glasses off to rub his exhausted eyes, Paul listened to the ticking of his clock in the office while the rest of the base had fallen silent. Everyone must have called it a night already while Paul had decided to continue with work. 

Patryk had dropped in a few times to let the other know how Tord was doing. He had been walking around a lot today and didn't spend time locked up in his room as much. That was a good sign that the 18 year old was getting a bit better. 

Paul flinched at the sudden sound of his door opening and turned around to see Tord leaning against the doorframe. The adult smiled gently and gestured for Tord to come in. “Hey, Boss. How you holding up?”

“I-I'm a bit b-better…” Tord quietly replied, making his way towards his friend.

“That's good.” Paul nodded. The teen placed a hand on the 22 year old’s arm and began to gently tug on it. “Hm? You want to show me something?”

“Think fast!”

Paul caught the flying object on instinct and peered at it, realising it was the keys to his car. Patryk made his way towards the other and lightly punched him with a smile. 

“Get dressed. We're going out for ice cream.” Patryk grinned. “Tord’s treat.”

Paul let out a chuckle as he pushed himself off the chair, cracking his joints as he did so. “If you both leave without me, I'll grab the banned weaponry.” He said, slipping his overcoat off and heading towards the door.

“Doubt you know the password!” Patryk called back with a smile as Paul flipped him off, gently pulling Tord towards him. “Which ice cream would you like, Boss?”

Tord pondered for a bit; his friends were putting their sleep aside for him. They...really were like parents. “U-Um...we can g-get sorbets?” He suggested, not sure of his own idea. Did they even like sorbets? Stupid Tord, you should have-

“Sorbets it is, then.” Patryk nodded, before leaving to fiddle with Paul's things. Tord watched him from a distance, feeling a smile tugging at his cheeks. Paul and Patryk were really helping him with his trauma, and they didn't seem to care that they were wasting their own time. It really made him feel just that bit better.

“Hey, check this out!” Patryk exclaimed, placing a magazine onto the desk. The Norski subconsciously hummed in response, making his way over towards him and glancing over the paper. Tord’s eyebrows raised in recognition as he turned to Patryk for an answer.

“Paul r-reads manga?” He questioned.

“Jesus fucking Christ, dette blir _så_ brukt som utpressing!” Patryk grinned, whipping out his phone and taking several photos, while Tord peeked at some of the pages.

Once he was finished with the evidence, Patryk put his phone away and tossed the magazine back into the drawer. Good timing too, because Paul had returned. He was just wearing a beige sweatshirt and black tracksuit bottoms, along with some trainers. Pretty….casual. 

“Let's get going then.” He announced, clicking the lights off when the two had left the room. “You better not have been looking through my stuff.”

“Nah, we were just having a chat.” Patryk replied with a smirk, holding a hand up behind his back for Tord to high five.

The ginger haired boy looked at it for a bit before raising his own hand and returning the high five. The 24 year old gave him a small wink, placing a finger over his lips as Tord smiled slightly. He felt bad for keeping it a secret from Paul, but hoped the adult wouldn't mind.

* * *

It had only taken them about a ten minute drive to get to their destination, and Patryk had been the one who chose to order, leaving Paul and Tord in the car. 

The adult clicked off his seatbelt to turn around properly and face Tord. The other had already taken off his seatbelt and was laying on all three back seats, staring at the roof of the car. Paul opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself when Tord spoke up.

“...Beklager…”

The brown haired male sighed and dimmed the lights so it wouldn't hurt Tord’s eyes. “What are you sorry for, Boss?”

“I p-pulled you away from your f-free time…” Tord mumbled.

“Boss, you know we don't mind, right?” Paul queried. “We want to make sure you're happy. Nothing more.”

Tord stayed silent for a bit before he turned his head to face Paul with a smile. “Takk skal du ha.”

Paul chucked slightly as he quickly glanced through the window, catching sight of Patryk with the sorbets. “Værsågod.”

“Alright, the both of you out.” Patryk said, placing the sorbet cups on the trunk of the car, patting it a few times. “Fireworks are gonna start in a few.”

Paul smiled at Tord as he got out, swinging to the back to help his leader out. The both of them went around to join Patryk, and as soon as the other's eyes laid on Paul's old bandages, his face turned up in repulse. “Paul, when was the last time you replaced your bandages?” Patryk asked, moving the adult's sorbet out of his reach.

“I was really busy today, and it didn't come to mind!” Paul protested. The darker haired male sighed in annoyance and pinched Paul's ear, dragging him to the front to get some new bandages. “Ow ow ow!”

“How are we supposed to enjoy our sorbets when you've got blood dripping down from your eye half the time?” Tord could hear Patryk grumble in irritant.

“I told you, I didn't have time to- faen! Patryk, what the actual fuck!?” Paul cursed.

“Shut it and hold still unless you want that scar to become deeper.” Patryk quipped. Tord leaned against the car with a happy sigh, staring into the night sky, as he listened to his two friends bickering. He barely even noticed the little girl that had managed to sneak beside him. He did jump, however, when she pulled on his arm.

“Could you help my brother set up the fireworks?” She asked, not noticing how rapid Tord’s breathing was. He had gone into panic mode, and there was no getting out of it.

“I-I'm not s-supposed to b-be…” Tord stammered, trying to find a way he could get the girl to leave. A few pleads, bargains and puppy eyes later, Tord had found himself setting up the fireworks. The girl's brother was luckily around his age and managed to calm him from the panic attack. Tord had also gotten both of their names.

“Okay, I think it'll work now.” Ben announced, getting up and wiping the sweat off his forehead. He flicked a switch and gestured for the two to move back. About fifteen seconds later, the fireworks began to shoot out along with all the others as the three watched the display.

“It's so beautiful!” Kate gushed, leaning into her brother's side. Ben ruffled her hair and looked towards Tord with a smile..

“Thanks again, mate. Appreciate it.” He said. The Norwegian managed to bear a small smile as he nodded at the blond.

“Y-You're welcome.” He softly replied, looking back up at the sky. Paul and Patryk were probably done by now, so the male had to return soon. Though he promised himself two more minutes with Ben and Kate before he would leave. That seemed like a good plan to him.

Except for the fact that someone was staring at him from a distance... _almost as if they recognised him._

* * *

Tom had been watching the display for a while now and he couldn't stop himself from peeking at the boy to his far left. The Brit couldn't tell why, but he felt like he knew the boy from somewhere.

It wasn't until a firework shot near the ground and the flash illuminated his face that Tom realised exactly who it was.

Red hoodie, beige trousers and undeniably horn shaped hair.

Tom felt his heart stop. This couldn't be possible. His mind snapped back to that wanted poster and knew he had to do something.

Tord stood there beside two other kids, his hands in his pockets. Tom could only guess there was either a handgun or pistol concealed somewhere within that damned hoodie. He had to act now; otherwise there could be some casualties.

The 18 year old shuffled from his car to a bush that was behind the group, stumbling over a can of Pepsi as he did so. Tom ducked behind the leaves, cursing at himself for even drinking tonight. He could feel Tord’s gaze slipping from the sky and onto him. Once the Norwegian had looked back up to the display, Tom slowly got up to match his height.

His heart pounded as he thought of how exactly to do this. Tord probably had backup somewhere around this and Tom could risk being shot.

_Screw everything, he was doing this._

Tom clamped one hand over Tord’s mouth, getting a reaction from the other as he clawed at Tom’s hand. The teen quickly pulled him behind the bush and turned him around to get a good look at him.

That explosion from the robot really did a number on him; half of his face had been burnt, leaving a red mark as well as several small cuts. It hadn't even healed over the course of 2 years. From the sleeve of his hoodie, Tom could see Tord’s fingers were bandaged up. Holy pug in a pizza box, was the damage **permanent?**

Tom looked up at Tord, who was breathing erratically as well as his eyes were bloodshot in panic.

**_“Tord!?”_ ** He sharply hissed, not being able to even fully process what was going on. Tord was **alive**? The Norwegian male began to scramble backwards for an escape but Tom gripped onto his bandaged arm, watching as Tord cried out in pain.

“S-Slipp meg!” Tord spoke in his native tongue. Tom felt anger bubbling up inside him as he gave Tord a good kick in the guts.

“I trusted you!” Tom snarled, watching as Tord clutched his stomach in pain. It was a good thing the firework and cheers were drowning them out, otherwise a fight would have broken out. “We gave you a second chance and you blew it! You're supposed to be dead!!”

Tom decided he had enough and grabbed Tord’s arm, pulling him up and searching for any weapons on him. To his surprise, he couldn't find one gun, not even a radio or something. What kind of leader would leave without backup? Tom growled and dragged Tord back to his car, deciding to turn him in immediately. Strangely, Tord wasn't protesting his capture or even shooting snarky comments at the Brit. He was just quietly complying without a word.

“J-Jeg vil ikke s-skade deg igjen…” Tord mumbled, flinching when Tom slammed the door shut and stormed over to the driver’s seat.

“Speak English, you fucking traitor.” Tom hissed, pressing on the gas as he got the hell out of there. The man waited until they were on the motorway to spill his guts out to the Norski.

“You could have at least called once to let us know we didn't commit a fucking murder!” Tom snarled. “Two years, commie. Two fucking years! I thought you were dead! Why the fuck did you come back?”

Tord stayed silent at this, knowing this would have happened soon. But that was a good question. Why had he chosen to stay in Britain instead of returning to Norway? He really had no answer to that question. The teen felt tears bubble up in his eyes and lowered his head so Tom wouldn't notice.

“D-Du skal d-drepe meg...er du ikke…?” He mumbled. He really didn't want to know the answer to that, so he focused his gaze on the passing scenery. He knew Tom was probably glaring at him through the rear view mirror, so he avoided looking at that completely. Tord wondered about Paul and Patryk, knowing he left them without a word; they must be worried out of their minds.

Oh, who was he kidding... _they were better off without him._

Tord perked up when they drove past the police station and arched an eyebrow in confusion. “You p-passed the s-station…” He quietly said, hoping Tom wouldn't lash out at him.

Tom was a bit surprised, to say the least, he had spoken in English. Also, huh. The stutters weren't only in his language. “I know that.” He harshly replied.

Tord opened his mouth to speak,trying to find words that wouldn't piss Tom off. “Then...w-why…?” He began.

“Will you shut your fucking mouth until we get there!?” Tom yelled, taking note of how much Tord jumped and violently shook. “I'm **this** close to tossing you out of the goddamn car, so shut your cake hole!”

Tord’s gaze fell back onto the window as he scratched nervously at his bandages. He...shouldn't have said anything. He just made everything worse. This was all his fault.

Tom let out a sigh of despair as he sank into the seat, hoping Tord wouldn't speak any longer and make him swerve the car across the road. This whole thing still seemed unreal to him.

It hadn't taken them too long to arrive at the apartment complex and Tord had kept silent, observing his surroundings. Tom stopped at room 205 and unlocked it, turning around to glare at Tord.

“I'm going to grab Ringo from next door. You better not tamper with anything or you'll be a true dead man.” He growled, watching as Tord walked in. The man had barely managed to make it past the door before he collapsed onto the floor and curled up. Tom raised an eyebrow in confusion, watching as Tord just lay there.

“Uh...okay?”

* * *

Tom returned with Ringo in his arms, who leapt off him and curled up beside Tord, rubbing her head against his cheek. The 18 year old was still unfazed by the cat attacking him, and his gaze was distant, almost as if he wasn't completely there. Like his body was, but his spirit was elsewhere. Tom rolled his empty eyes and made his way over towards Tord, as he still seemed unresponsive.

“Hey, commie. Get up.” He hissed, lightly kicking the Norski in the back. Tord groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly and not noticing how Tom was scanning his figure. Tord jumped when he saw something being shoved in his face, but relaxed once his vision focused on an apple pie and a protein shake. His brown eyes trailed up to look at Tom, who was staring right back at him with a frown.

“Eat.” was all the Brit said, watching as the 18 year old shuffled back a bit into the wall.

“I-I'm not h-hungry…” Tord murmured, flinching when Tom pushed the items into his lap.

“Bullshit, you look like you haven't eaten a full meal in months.” Tom enunciated, standing up to grab his flask as Tord watched in surprise. He still drank? It...was probably his fault anyway….

The Norwegian had been so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice Tom sitting beside him. 

“You still haven't eaten.” Tom pointed out, causing Tord to visibly flinch before he slowly picked up the fork and dug into the pie. 

Tom sighed deeply as he stretched his legs out, leaning his head against the wall and taking a swig. His empty eyes looked up to check the time before he turned around to see Tord subconsciously petting Ringo as he ate.

“Matt and Edd will be home soon. You'd better think of a good excuse before they both kick your ass.” Tom announced, shutting his eyes to take another swig of his Smirnoff. “You're lucky I'm not sober, fucking commie…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably start translating the Norwegian bits, huh? Just to save you guys some time from translating it yourself.
> 
> * * *
> 
> dette blir så brukt som utpressing = this is so being used as blackmail  
> takk skal du ha = thank you  
> værsågod = you're welcome  
> faen = fuck (tho I'm p sure you know this already)  
> slipp meg = let me go  
> jeg vil ikke s-skade deg igjen = I dont want to hurt you again  
> du skal d-drepe meg...er du ikke = you're going to kill me...are you not?
> 
> Thanks for reading this chapter, I have much more to come!


	4. Under One Roof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul and Patryk freak out over Tord's sudden disappearance, we get a little bit of the neighbours, and Matt and Edd make their way back to the apartments. Oh boy.

Patryk frowned as he pulled on both sides of the bandage, tying it into a small knot. “Jeez, tell me when you're going to pull me by the ear next time.” Paul mumbled, putting out his cigarette and throwing it into the bushes nearby.

“Then replace your damn bandages on time.” Patryk sarcastically replied, shoving all the medical things back inside the car before the two of them returned to the trunk.

“Sorry, Boss. Patryk had to be a mother-hen again and I-” Paul trailed off when he faced an empty trunk. All 3 of the sorbets were still left there and there weren't any trails of Tord leaving the area anywhere. “Boss?” The soldier called, cupping his hands to his mouth. “ **_Boss!?_ **”

“Paul, what are you yelling about?” Patryk groaned, being startled when the other grabbed his shoulders.

“He's gone!” Paul exclaimed, grunting when Patryk pushed him away and stormed around the car.

“What do you mean _‘he's gone’_? We looked away for five minutes!” Patryk yelled, his eyes scanning the woodlands for Tord's figure.

“Hvor fanden kunne han være?” Paul cursed, trying to help Patryk search for their friend.

“Will you stop cursing at the sky and actually cooperate!?” Patryk snapped.

“Well I'm sorry I'm having a fucking meltdown beside you!” Paul shot back.

“Ro deg ned.” Patryk sternly said, grabbing the other's hand and preventing him from pacing the area.

“Jeg er jævla rolig!” Paul fumed, pulling back when Patryk slapped him hard on the cheek.

“Listen to me, Paul!” The dark haired adult implied, looking the other in his eyes. “We're not going to get anywhere if you're just standing there, screaming your head off. We can ask around, see if anyone has seen him.”

Paul gave the 24 year old a shaky nod as Patryk slowly released his grip on him. “We should start on the west side and then the east. He shouldn't have gone too far.” Patryk suggested, heading west, while Paul headed east; the both of them carrying concealed weapons in the case of an emergency.

Paul grumbled lowly to himself as he slid down the hill, heading towards the fireworks site. This was all his fault; if only he had listened to Patryk and not get cooped up in work, Tord wouldn't have disappeared on them. The 22 year old nibbled at his nails as he thought of the many places Tord could have gone.

Maybe he wanted some fresh air since they were cooped up beside trees. Maybe he wanted to get closer to the fireworks to see them better. Maybe...maybe he tripped and now he's _hurt and can't call for help and-_

Paul pulled himself together and stepped in front of a couple and took deep breaths, proceeding to tell the old lie. “Excuse me, have you seen my son?” He asked, hearing his own voice waver as he did so. The male lifted the drink out of his mouth to look at the disguised soldier; as Paul prayed to his life that the man hadn't seen him from the reports on the army.

“Did you lose him here?” He asked, as Paul gave him a shaky nod. This time, the woman looked up from her food to ask.

“We've seen lots of children running around here. It will help if you describe him.” She said.

“O-Okay, he was wearing a red hoodie and burgundy trousers...he's also got a large scar across his cheek and ginger hair.” He frantically relayed to them. The couple turned to the sky in thought before looking back at Paul.

“No, we haven't seen him, I'm afraid.” The man shook his head in sympathy.

“A-Alright, thanks. I'll ask around.” Paul said, getting ready to question some more people. 

“Wait!” The woman called, causing him to freeze on the spot? Did she actually know where Tord was? Did she recognise him? “What happened to your eye?”

…

Really? 

“Uh….c-car accident.” Paul shot, before practically dashing away. He had been in the park for an extra 20 minutes, asking people if they had seen Tord; getting the exact same reply.

It wasn't until he approached two siblings that he got the answer he was waiting for. They were busy packing up the unused fireworks when the boy looked up to face Paul.

“Can I help you, sir?” He asked, noticing how the adult had been hovering over them for a bit.

“Have you seen my son around here?” Paul questioned. “He's about your age, ginger hair and red hoodie with a scar across his cheek.”

The boy thought for a while before he snapped his fingers in recognition. “Yeah, he was just here helping with the fireworks.”

Paul's eyes lit up the moment he nodded and jumped to his feet. “Really? Which direction did he go?”

“I dunno.” The boy shrugged, ignoring how Paul growled at him. His sister dumped some fireworks into a box and dusted her hands, closing her eyes as she spoke.

“Last I saw him, he was being dragged into a bush by some guy wearing a blue hoodie.” She nonchalantly replied.

“And you didn't help him, _why!?_ ” Paul snarled, getting more angrier by the second. He was just about to blow when someone grabbed his shoulders and he whirled around to punch them, relaxing once he saw that it was Patryk.

“Come on, it's getting late.” Patryk hissed, dragging him back to the car and jumping in. “Did you get any answers?” He asked as he began to drive off.

“Yeah, he was fucking kidnapped!” Paul snapped, lurching forward when the other slammed hard on the brakes and glared at him.

“ **What?!** ” The 24 year old practically yelled.

“They said it was someone in a blue hoodie.” Paul added, hoping it would add in some information. Also because he did not want to be punched in the face again.

“Blue hoodie…” Patryk muttered. “Didn't Tord mention that one of his friends wore that? Maybe they found him.”

Paul sank into the seat, his one working eye gazing over towards the bandages, cursing at himself.

“Vi burde ha holdt et øye med ham.” Patryk lowly mumbled as they sped away before to the bed.

Paul clawed at his arm, hating himself even more as they sat in their car without their good friend. “Dette er min feil…” He groaned, hitting his head against the window.

Patryk sighed in annoyance as he spun the wheel, briefly glaring at Paul. “Hold kjeft, du er fortsatt freaker ut. Jeg er sikker på at vi kan finne ham. Vi må bare fortsette å prøve.” He scolded his friend.

Paul frowned and shut his eye, wishing this had never happen. “Greit…” He muttered. This was all still his fault and he wouldn't say otherwise. They had to bring Tord back.

The darker haired male pulled the car into the driveway of the base, clicking his seatbelts off once they were inside. He stopped, however, when he realised something and hit his head into the wheel. Paul looked up from his own seatbelt to see his friend groaning. 

“What's wrong?” He asked.

“Dritt, vi må fortelle de andre…”

* * *

Edd smiled as he got out of the car, looking at his friend as he held multiple bags in his hands. “Thanks again for giving us a ride, Eduardo.” He said. The man sitting in his dark green Honda chuckled as he rolled down the window to speak to the other.

“Never mention this to anyone, loser.” Eduardo replied with a smile. “And yeah, no problem.”

The 18 year old nodded at him before turning to the passenger seat window, knocking on it gently with his finger. “Matt, come on! Let's get going!” The Brit called, his smile widening when Matt held up a finger.

“Just a second, Edd!” Matt answered, turning back to face Jon, who was holding a weirdly folded piece of paper. “Okay, the last step you need to do is blow into it like it's an inflatable toy.”

Jon arched his eyebrow in confusion at the comparison, but complied anyway. The paper slowly began to inflate and soon, he had an origami crown in his hands. The 20 year old man smiled at his accomplishment as Matt gently took it from him and placed it on top of his tuft of hair.

“How do I look?” Jon eagerly asked with a grin, as Matt gave him a thumbs up and a wink.

“You look amazing, Jon!” Matt smiled.

“You look like a prince.” Eduardo added with a content smile. It was actually pretty nice to see him smile. _‘The End’_ had really made him realise how much Jon meant to him. After the blond had rested up, Eduardo made sure he spent more time with Jon.

Matt chuckled when Jon gave him a hug, patting him gently in the back. “You're welcome, buddy.” The 18 year old replied, pulling away from the hug, clicking the door open and stepping out.

“Thanks again.” Eduardo said, putting his hands on the wheel. “I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” Edd said, giving some bags to Matt to relieve some weight. “We'll see you again next week?”

“Yeah, Mark should have the renovation ready by then.” Eduardo nodded, giving them a salute. “See ya, weirdos.” He called before he rolled up the window and drove off.

Edd sighed as he faced the apartment building, looking up towards Tom’s balcony. “I really hope he hasn't been drinking again…”

“Come on, I'm sure he's fine!” Matt reassured him, scanning his key card and opening the front door. “He's probably knocked out on the sofa by now.”

Edd gave him a small smile as he followed after Matt, the two of them heading towards the elevator. “Maybe.” He added.

Once they were inside, Matt pressed the button for the 6th floor and as the elevator rose, Edd received a text message. Digging his phone out of his pockets, he checked the contact name with a frown.

“Guess he's not asleep.” Edd announced, unlocking his phone as Matt looked over his shoulder.

“What does he say?” The amber eyed male questioned, taking a peek at the message.

_Tom: Come over 2 my place. Don't freak out. Don't yell._

Edd furrowed his brows in concern as he quickly pocketed his phone, turning to Matt. The strawberry blond noticed the change in Edd's attitude almost immediately and held up a hand.

“Hold on, he might not mean it in that way!” Matt quickly said, but couldn't do anything to stop Edd from grabbing him by the wrist and practically dragging him out of the elevator and towards Tom’s apartment. The brunet fumbled around for the extra key, clicking it in and unlocking the door. Walking into the small apartment, the both of them expected Tom to be hurt, like tripped on something or Ringo had clawed at him.

But what they didn't expect to see what Tord sitting beside Tom, drinking a protein shake, petting Ringo and most importantly; **_alive_ **. Matt and Edd both dropped the bags they were holding onto the floor as Tom quickly stood up.

“Edd, I know what you're going to do, but don't do it.” The 18 year old quickly said, but stumbled back when the male pushed past him.

“What the hell is _he_ doing here?” Edd hissed, pointing an accusing finger towards the Norski. “He **died**! Tom, how is he here?”

Tom shrugged as he placed his flask on the table, watching as everyone's gaze fell on Tord. “I think he should be the one to explain why.”

“Tord, how the fuck are you alive!?” Edd snapped, feeling tears brim in his eyes. Tord had lied to him yet again, making them believe the Norwegian was dead for two whole years. The green hoodied teen swore on his life that if Tord was planning something again, he would turn him in to the government in a heartbeat. Tom had told him that the male was a leader of a legion called the Red Army, and that had really surprised him. Edd had no idea that his friend of eight years was the leader of an entire army.

Tord flinched when Edd raised his voice at him, curling into Ringo for comfort as his heart rate increased, his vision blurred and his breathing whirled out of control. Oh god, not now. Not here.

Tom arched an eyebrow as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, watching as Tord squeezed his eyes shut and struggled for air. Was he having a panic attack?

Exhaling lowly as he released his grip on the plastic cup in his hands, Tord had managed to calm down on his own, deciding against looking them in the eyes for fear of another attack.

“I d-didn't die…” He mumbled, expecting someone to yell at him. But strangely enough, they all kept their distance as they waited for his explanation. “I s-survived the explosion, just b-barely…” Tord continued, lightly gesturing towards his bandaged arm and burnt face.

“I-I didn't want to h-hurt you again, so I s-stayed in h-h-hiding. I couldn't b-bare to see you a-after I b-betrayed you, so I didn't r-return.”

Scoffing at the Norski’s explanation, Tom crossed his arms with a frown. “So what the hell were you doing at that fireworks display? Planning another attack or something in plain sight. Not very good at hiding now, are you?” The empty eyed man sneered.

“I w-went out f-for ice cream.” Tord muttered. He looked up to face Matt, who had been watching from the doorway as he stayed oddly quiet. The other two seemed to follow his gaze, looking at Matt as he fiddled with the keys that Edd had tossed at him.

“Matt...you're being uncharacteristically quiet.” Tom noted. The strawberry blond ignored him as he frowned, glaring at Tord as the other shrank under his gaze. The Norski hadn't seen Matt as mad as this; it scared him to see the light hearted male deadly serious.

“You lied to us.” Matt began, growing angrier by the second as he clenched his fists. “You hurt my friends. You used us for your own gains and you blew up our house!”

Tord wanted to object to this, saying that he acted out of fear, but he knew they wouldn't believe him. “You punched me in the face! You made us believe you were dead for two years!” Matt yelled, storming over to the brown eyed male, his fist shaking as he clenched them as hard as he could. “I can't trust anyone anymore after you!”

“I-If it makes you feel b-better...you c-can punch me all you l-like.” Tord suggested, not curling up in pain once Matt had punched him in the face without any hesitation. That seemed to calm the Brit down a bit as he backed away from Tord, following the others into the kitchen for a discussion.

Tord listened to them bicker as he shakily got up, collapsing into the sofa and smiling sadly when Ringo joined him. He reached out his bandaged hand to stroke her and chuckled softly when she purred in content, before sighing and curling up into himself. He knew they would never believe him, so what was the point in even trying? They would probably turn him in the next morning.

Tord shut his eyes and tried to block out the yelling by shakily humming the song Paul had sung to him the other night. It managed to calm him down as he yawned, feeling sleep wash over him; he was so exhausted….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Norwegian translation!
> 
> Hvor fanden kunne han være = where the fuck could he be  
> Ro deg ned = calm down  
> Jeg er jævla rolig! = I am fucking calm  
> Vi burde ha holdt et øye med ham = we should have kept an eye on him  
> Dette er min feil = this is all my fault  
> Hold kjeft, du er fortsatt freaker ut. Jeg er sikker på at vi kan finne ham. Vi må bare fortsette å prøve. = Shut up, you're still freaking out. I'm sure we can find him. We just have to keep trying  
> Greit = alright  
> Dritt, vi må fortelle de andre = we have to tell the others
> 
> Yeah, so they speak Norwegian either when they're stressed or panicked, which you could obviously tell they were. And hey, cute Jon moment! What are the others talking about in the kitchen though? Hmmm...


	5. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio hesitantly allow Tord to stay and Matt feels bad for him.

Edd bit nervously on his fingers as he watched Tom yell at him, quickly glancing back at the living room to see Tord curled up on the sofa while he stroked Ringo.

“Edd, have you finally gone insane!?” Tom snarled. “That commie has killed millions of people without a second thought, and you're just gonna sit by and let him stay?”

“I kind of agree with Tom. I really don't trust Tord at all…” Matt nodded, rubbing his elbow nervously as he eyed the bottle on the table, considering actually drinking for once.

“Guys, I know we all don't trust Tord after what he's done. But were you even paying attention to him?” Edd argued. “He can't speak a single sentence without stuttering or tripping over his words. It really impacted him!”

“Oh, and it didn't impact _me?_ ” Tom sarcastically shot, rolling his black voids of an eye. “Or any of us?”

“He had a panic attack right in front of us!” Edd shot back, prodding a finger at Tom. “I know you saw that! He also-”

“-hasn't been eating well.” Tom cut the other off, giving a sigh of defeat as he sat atop the kitchen counter. Edd blinked at him in surprise, turning to look at the man properly. “I noticed when I first got a good look at him. So I gave him some food and he ate...some of it.”

“So...are we really letting him stay?” Matt asked, frowning uncomfortably. He didn't like the idea of Tord returning, but he had also noticed those things about the Norski. Maybe he did feel bad about hurting them.

“Don't worry, Matt.” Edd gave the ginger a small reassuring smile as he gently placed his hand over Matt’s. “The second we notice something off about him, we're giving him a one way ticket to jail.”

Huffing as he tossed the wrapper off an energy bar, Tom took a bite and hopped off the table. “He can stay in my apartment.” He suggested.

“Are you sure? I mean, no offense, but you're kinda drunk and-” Edd began, blinking when Tom waved him off.

“Nah, I'll be fine. ‘Sides, the commie’s already out.” Tom said, peering into the living room. Tord was laying on the sofa, a cushion under his mess of hair acting as a pillow as he lightly snored away. Ringo was occupied with the pie that Tord had left behind and was currently feasting on it.

Edd sighed as he gave Tom a small pat on his back, before giving him a hug. Tom wasn't really a hugger, so he just awkwardly patted Edd on his arm. The brunet released the man and smiled gently at him.

“Don't do anything stupid, alright?” Edd asked, as Tom awkwardly chuckled.

“I've already got a migraine, so I'll be heading straight to bed.” Tom replied, giving him a nod.

“Come on, Matt. Let's go.” Edd called, making his way to the front door. Once he got to the door handle, he turned around to ask Matt a question but stopped when he realised the strawberry blond wasn't behind him, but instead, was standing over Tord.

His expression looked hurt as he glanced at the sleeping male. Tord seemed to be shivering in his sleep as he scratched and clawed at his bandaged arm.

“Matt?” Edd gently called, approaching the other as Matt frowned.

“His face is burnt permanently….and he can't do anything about it.” Matt muttered, grabbing a blanket from the shelves and draping it over Tord’s body, watching as the male ceased his shivering. Edd glanced over Tord’s face, noticing it was more flushed than usual and gently pressed the back of his hand against the Norski’s forehead.

“He has a fever.” The brunet announced with a sigh. “I would give him some pills, but I don't want to wake him.”

“You two can stop by tomorrow morning and we can try giving him some medicine.” Tom grunted, clutching his head as it throbbed. “Ugh, I need to sleep.”

Matt nodded at this and gently took Edd by the hand and guided the brunet to the front door, retrieving their dropped bags and opening the door. “We'll drop by as soon as we get breakfast. Make sure you can open the door.” Matt lightly joked, smiling when Tom snorted.

“Okay Matt, no need to offend me with my drinking habit.” Tom chuckled. “I sure will be confused as all hell when I forget this.”

“I'm looking forward to you questioning the ice cream you got.” Matt quipped, laughing when Tom began to push both him and Edd out of his apartment.

“Thanks again, guys.” Tom said with a smile, as Edd gave him a thumbs up, before the 18 year old shut his door and sighed deeply.

The male turned to look at Tord, his empty voids scanning his figure. He would never admit it out loud but it really looked like Tord had suffered the most. His entire appearance, from the scars on his face, to loss in his appetite. He also kept to himself like he was actually….scared of Tom.

Of course, the Brit had been drinking more to drown out his pain, but he had never actually gone to the extent of starving himself almost completely. Grumbling to himself as he snatched some of his pills, Tom made sure to keep the lights on in case Tord had a nightmare or something. He swallowed the pills along with a glass of water, before heading down the hallway into his bedroom. He really shouldn't have drank anything today, finding out Tord was actually alive was adding more onto the evergrowing headache. Slipping off his checkered shoes and throwing off his hoodie, Tom collapsed into bed wearing only a grey vest and black baggy trousers.

His eyes gazed up at the photo that was handing on the wall with a frown, before he turned over in bed and shut his eyes. Tom hadn't bothered to throw out that photo and he really didn't know why.

“Fuck….” Tom groaned, hiding his face under his pillow as he cuddled Tomee-bear tight. This was going to be such a headache when he wakes up in the morning with a hangover and a certain Norwegian on his sofa. Tom slowly drifted off to sleep as he began to think about what he could do to make sure Tord didn't freak out the next day.

* * *

Edd unlocked his apartment door, letting Ringo curl up in her basket while he spoke with Matt. The Brit looked at the other, who was busy fumbling with his keys, noticing how much Matt was shaking.

“You okay?” Edd gently asked, sighing when the blond hesitantly nodded, clicking open his door.

“Just...just a bit shocked…” Matt mumbled, leaning against his door to look up at the other. Edd could just about make out the tears staining the corners of the teen’s eyes, feeling tears well up in his own eyes. Edd gently opened his arms wide, holding Matt tight when he practically collapsed into the hug. He listened to the hiccups of the other, only managing to stare ahead as he comfortingly rubbed the strawberry blond tuft of hair that was by his chest.

It had taken them a while to calm down and Matt slowly broke away from the hug and rubbed his eyes tiredly as Edd began to make his way over to his apartment door, looking over his shoulder at Matt to give him a reassuring smile. “It'll be okay, Matt.” was all he could say to reassure the male, before he entered his apartment, throwing the bags down by the kitchen door and heading straight to bed.

Once he was in the comfort of his mattress, the brunet finally allowed himself himself to break, bursting into quiet sobs as he lay there. He clamped a hand over his mouth as he feared Matt would hear, since know how much the other would mother over him for keeping his emotions to himself. But he really couldn't help it; Matt was shattered and Tom….Tom was unexplainable. They couldn't all be down and upset, one person had to stay strong for the three of them.

Edd really feared that another horrible thing would happen to them while Tord was staying. He couldn't afford to see his friends hurt, it tore him apart the last time. It hadn't taken him long, but soon enough, Edd had cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Matt let a sigh escape from his lips once Edd had gone to bed, leaving him in the hallway. His gaze had switched from Edd’s door to Tom’s. He was afraid that something was happening behind those doors. Maybe...maybe it wouldn't hurt to check?

Matt slowly made his way up to the door, gently placing his hands over the wood and shut one eye to peek through the peephole. Tom had forgotten to put the lid on, so people could stare in as long as they wanted. The blond barely managed a weak smile at the thought of Edd chastising Tom about being too lazy to even flip the lid onto the peephole.

His amber eyes scanned the area, as he had to constantly tear his gaze from the Norski on the sofa. He could just about see Tom heading into his room as he quietly sighed a breath of relief. Ever since _‘The End’,_ Matt had surprisingly been over protective of his friends, and even had a little trust issue with meeting new people.

Matt retreated from the door and picked up the bags, kicking open his door and then shutting it with his foot. He dropped the bags in the living room, not bothering to turn the lights on as he stumbled into his bedroom, collapsing into his bed.

The ginger looked at all the photos on his bedside table while he rubbed his wrists in pain; that punch really was a bugger. Most of the photos were of himself, but there were a few that had his friends included. There were about three of him, Tom and Edd on vacation in Italy, when Tom had shot his harpoon while they were on a gondola and Edd had to pay the fee. Matt chuckled lightly at the memory as his eyes glanced over to his next photo.

This one had all of them in it, including Tord. They all had their arms around each other and of course, Ringo had begged them to be in the photo. It was the first photo he had ever taken with his first camera, way back in 2013; 5 years ago.

All of them were so young as they smiled widely at the camera. Matt sighed as he dug himself under his blanket, drifting into slumber within half an hour. Everything had changed since then.

* * *

The next morning, Tom had woken up with a slight headache; not what he was expecting at all considering how much he had drank. The 18 year old grunted as he pushed himself off the bed, yawning as he went down the hall, opting for an entire mug of coffee since he was sure he could pass out at any second.

He stopped once he got to the living room, noticing how Tord was sitting up straight in the couch, staring blankly at the wall. It was a good thing that Tom had been slightly sober enough to remember how Tord was alive. He raised an eyebrow at the Norski and slowly approached him, noticing the flinch in his body.

“How long have you been up for?” Tom gently asked, his gravelly tone of voice making it positive that he had just woken up. Tord sat in silence as he played with the blanket on his lap, pondering on his answer as his eyes never left the wall.

“....s-since t-two…” Tord finally replied, as Tom's eyes widened in surprise; he had been awake for _seven_ hours!?

“Edd and Matt are gonna swing by in about an hour or so. Want some coffee?” Tom offered, cringing straight after. You do _not_ give coffee to someone who hasn't slept well.

“C-Could I have some w-warm milk?” Tord quietly requested, relaxing when he saw Tom nod in his peripheral vision. The male headed off to get the coffee ready, boiling some water as he placed a glass of milk into the microwave. While he waited for the water to boil, he thought about what Tord said. How could someone not fall asleep for that long? By his guess, Tord had only been asleep for five hours, and the rest he didn't sleep.

Tom was startled out of his thoughts by a familiar ding as he lifted the kettle and poured it into a mug and dumped in some coffee. He grabbed the glass out of the microwave and returned to the living room and handed Tord his drink, leaning against the wall to take a sip of his coffee.

The Norwegian looked up from his glass to see Tom leaning against the wall as he drank and furrowed his brows. He knew how uncomfortable it was, due to the amount of times he had fell asleep against a van and woke up with scars, so Tord shuffled up a bit and gently patted the seat beside him.

“Y-you can s-sit here.” He said.

Tom lowered his mug to face Tord and just shrugged in response. “Nah, I prefer the wall. But, uh….thanks.”

Tord looked back down at his glass of milk, thinking about what the other had said. Tom was actually _thanking_ him? The Norski finished his milk and placed it on the table, waiting for Tom to say something. When he did, Tord had almost rocketed out of the sofa but he just managed to grip on tightly to the armrest.

“Want a tour?” Tom asked, placing his mug down and facing the other. Tord fiddled with his fingers a bit more as he squirmed uncomfortably in the sofa.

“I-it's your h-house…” He finally mumbled, to which Tom rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, but I’m asking if you wanna take a look around. Unless you want to be a sofa potato.” Tom replied. After a while of lulling over his answer, Tord managed to push himself off the sofa.

The two of them took about fifteen minutes to go around the entire apartment room. Tord had remained silent as he followed Tom, who been watching the Norwegian’s actions.

Tom had noticed that Tord’s brown eyes would briefly scan the room he was being shown before they would glance back at the ground. His hands would also constantly fidget, and he would hide them when Tom looked.

Once the tour was over, the both of them resigned back into the living room to wait for Edd and Matt to arrive. Tord glanced at the pages in the book that Tom had given him while the other flipped boredly through the channels on the TV. He would had already gotten drunk if it wasn't for the fact that he had been left in charge to take care of a sick Norwegian. Tom never addressed it, but he could see the amount of times Tord had coughed into his hoodie so that he wouldn't notice. He could also see just how much shaking Tord’s hands were doing, as well as the fact that he kept staring into space.

It was a relief when they both heard the doorbell ring and Tom heaved himself off the sofa to escape the awkwardness. He clicked open the door and managed a small smile at his two friends. “Got the breakfast?” He asked.

Matt beamed as he practically shoved the box into Tom's face. “Yep! Edd said to get oatmeal even though I wanted to get blueberry pie.”

Edd chuckled lightly as he stepped into the apartment and threw off his shoes. “Matt, you don't give pie to a sick person.” Edd smiled, before turning to Tom. “How is he doing?”

“Pretty okay, besides hiding everything that shows he's sick.” The 18 year old shrugged as they made their way into the living room where Tord nervously waved at them.

“Hey Tord.” Edd managed a smile as he looked at the male in front of him. He wanted to punch Tord so badly for betraying him, but kept it back as he sat beside the Norski; he'd be more cautious this time. “How did you sleep?”

Tord shook himself out of the daze he was in, tearing his eyes away from Edd’s hazel ones and fiddled with the TV remote in his hands. “G-Good…” He mumbled, feeling Tom’s glare on him once he uttered that fib. Matt dug the oatmeal out of the box and headed into the kitchen with Tom as the two were left alone. Edd wrung the hem of his hoodie as he glanced at the TV screen that was currently playing The Children. Tord seemed like he was watching it, but Edd knew his mind was somewhere else.

“How was Tom this morning?” Edd questioned, noticing how hard Tord flinched when he did.

Tord gripped onto the cushion beside him to relieve some anxiety as he gazed at the floor. “H-He was o-okay…” Tord replied. End, end the conversation now!

“So he hasn't drank anything?” He pressed on. Edd noticed the frequent stutter in Tord’s voice and his eyes glanced down to see his hands wrapped around the cushion. That was something Edd used to do in the first five months after The End; he was panicky all the time and was always on high alert. Tom and Matt had to bring him out of his panic attacks sometimes when they got to their worst.

The brunet wondered briefly if Tord was faking it, but from those symptoms he knew it was real. So...maybe Tord really did regret doing any of it. He still couldn't completely trust the Norski, so Edd would keep his walls up.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a gentle shake on his arm and looked to his right to see Tord gazing at him. Once their eyes locked, Tord jumped and backed away from Edd and hugged his knees. “Y-you drifted o-off…” The Norski quietly said.

Edd was dazed for a bit before he opened his mouth to speak. “Sorry, I wasn't quite listening. What did you say?” Coaxing Tord out of his bubble may be a idea, but it could backfire at any second.

“I-I s-said he just d-drank c-coffee…” Tord said, raising his voice a little so that the other could hear.

The 18 year old hummed in response as he gazed back at the TV, wondering if Matt had spilt anything yet. “That's a good thing, I suppose. We'll have to keep an eye on him though.”

Tord gave him a small nod, stifling a cough with the sleeve of his hoodie. He had somehow failed as Edd had heard it and the brunet was now gazing at him. “Have you had coughing fits this whole morning?” Edd gently asked.”Please don't lie to me; I won't hurt you.”

_Yet._

Tord slowly stretched his legs out as he answered with a shaky sigh. “Y-Yes…”

Edd reached out and carefully placed his hand on the other's forehead, feeling for his temperature. “Your fever’s spiked.” He announced, releasing the male with a sigh. “Are you _sure_ you got a good night's rest?”

“I-I’m sure.” Tord lied once again, jumping slightly when he felt Edd wrapping him up in the blanket.

“Matt and Tom should be done with the oatmeal. You want to watch a movie after?” Edd asked, smiling when Tord replied with,

“T-That sounds n-nice…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Norwegian for this chapter! This is slowly turning into a sickfic, I've just realised. Maybe I should add the tag. Yeeah, I'll add the tag.
> 
> Anyway, Matt is slightly cautious around Tord and Edd is sympathising with him. Tom is still untrusting of him, but he'll come around, don't worry.


	6. Medication...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord finally gets some food into his system, and Matt accidentally triggers him to go into panic mode. Also a slight warning for references to suicide attempts.

“Matt, that's impossible.” Tom said, his voice laced with monotony although he was giving a little smirk. The blond was currently placing all of the bowls of oatmeal onto each limb as he attempted to be the ‘man of the house’.

“Nonsense! Nothing is impossible for me!” Matt replied, raising a finger to the air, just as one of the bowls began to slip off his head. Luckily Tom had noticed it and quickly sweeped it off the blond and rolled his eyes playfully.

“If that had spilt, you'd have to go out and buy your own breakfast.” He snarked as the two began to leave the kitchen.

They returned see that Edd and Tord were engaged in a conversation while the Norski pet Ringo. Tom decided to ruin the moment and slammed two bowls onto the table, sitting on the armrest. He shoved a spoonful into his mouth, facing the TV as he raised the volume from the remote.

“Stop gawking and eat it before it gets cold.” Tom snapped.

Tord tore his gaze away from the male beside him and faced the bowl. He shuffled into the back of the sofa and covered himself with the blanket, feeling sick to the stomach.

“Is something wrong?” Edd gently asked, noticing how Tord looked like he was going to throw up.

“I-I'm not h-hungry..” He mumbled, wincing at the way Matt gazed at him. He just wished he could go into a corner and just rot away without anyone noticing. Edd raised an eyebrow at this and gently scooted over so that Tord could have some space.

“But you need to eat. You're sick and I'm not going to let you fall into a more serious illness.” The brunet said. “You can eat a few spoonfuls, you don't have to finish it all.”

After Edd had uttered those words, Tord slowly leaned forward and took the bowl in his hands, eyeing the contents. He had managed to get five spoonfuls in before he refused any more and placed the bowl back. Matt reached into one of the bags to get something as Tord watched in curiosity on what it could be. His heart sank when he spotted a water bottle and some pills in the other's hand, his mind going blank.

* * *

_Tord glared at his calendar as he fiddled with a lighter, switching the flame on and off. It was the first anniversary since The End. His unscathed eye gazed over the tabletop as he looked at all the weapons._

_A rope, a gun with one bullet remaining and some pills._

_His eyes lulled over the objects as he pondered on which to use first. The gun would instantly kill him, but he didn't want it quick. He needed to suffer, just like he had made them._

_The Norwegian finally made a decision as he grabbed the bottle of antidepressants and clicked the lid open. The horrible stench of medicine filled his room as he stared at the white pills, before throwing his head back and tossing them all into his mouth._

_Tord felt a pain strike him in his abdomen, causing him to lurch forward and grab the table, knocking over the glass of water he was planning to drink, listening as the glass shattered against the floor. The 17 year old forced himself to swallow the pills dry, clamping a hand over his mouth so he wouldn't spit them out. Tears dripped against his desk as he grew dizzier by the second, and his stomach twisted and turned._

_Jumping when he heard knocking on his door, Tord immediately whirled into a frenzy as he listened to Paul speaking to him. “Hey, uh...sorry for disturbing ya boss. Patryk wants you downstairs for something.”_

_Tord finally let a whimper escape him as his vision blurred and he collapsed onto the floor with a thud, resulting in Paul breaking into his room and joining his side within seconds._

* * *

“--know what happened!?” Tord could hear Tom yell. He sounded far away...why was he so far?

“The both of….down!” Edd demanded. He sounded scared...but for what reason?

The voices of his friends were soon drowned out by a faint ringing that got louder and louder every second. Tord tried to block his ears, but found that he was too frozen to move. Why couldn't he move? Oh god, what had he done? He killed an innocent man! He would have killed the others and so many more. He would have continued on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and nobody could stop him, he was uncontrollable and on and on and on and on and he couldn't breathe, his chest was getting tighter, he couldn't see; it was all a blur. He couldn't breathe couldn't breathe couldn't breathe couldn't breathe _couldn't breathe and he was **going to die and-** _

Tord blinked when he felt something warm wrap around his neck, noticing how fast he was breathing. The ringing faded almost immediately and he could just about make out the hood of a green sweatshirt.

He was safe….he wasn't going to do that again. His eyes gazed down to see Edd curled up against him in a hug, while Tom and Matt were observing the two from a distance.

Edd murmuring into his ear almost made the 18 year old sky rocket, but he managed to only flinch slightly. “Whatever you saw, it wasn't happening. You're here, with us. And you're safe.”

 _Safe?_ There was that word again. Was he actually safe? Or would he turn against them again? Tord shook those thoughts out of his head as he brought his hand up to rub his tears. “I'm sorry if we triggered something, we didn't know.”

The Norski gently pushed Edd out of his arms, facing down to avoid eye contact as he furiously wiped at his tears. He couldn't believe he had just had a panic attack in front of them; stupid Tord!

“You okay now?” Edd softly asked, watching as Tord gave him a shaky nod.

“I-I'm s-sorry…” He mumbled, fiddling with the sleeve of his hoodie and pulling on it.

“Please don't apologise, you haven't done anything wrong.” Matt hushed. Okay, now he was convinced that Tord had turned over a new leaf. But it hurt him to see the usually cocky arrogant male being so reserved and broken. The Brit had long abandoned the pills and carefully watched the other.

It had taken Tord about 13 minutes to fully calm down while Edd and Matt whispered comforting nothings into his ear. When he was calm, the Norwegian’s eyes gazed up at the TV. “C-Can we w-watch a m-movie…?” He hesitantly asked.

“Of course we can!” Matt beamed, hopping off the sofa and holding up several DVDs with a smile. “Which one would you like?”

Tord’s brown eyes lulled over the DVDs, finding that most of them were the _Insane Zombie Pirates From Hell_ series. He used to love those movies, though now he wasn't sure he was comfortable with the sight of blood and gore.

“I-is that o-one okay…?” Tord asked, gently pointing a finger towards _Fast And Furious 3_. Matt seemed surprised with his answer, but just gave a shrug and clicked the DVD into the player. The three of them got comfortable on the sofa, while Tom sat in front of them on the floor. Sometime during the movie, Tord’s coughing fits worsened to the point where Edd had to pause the movie to check on him.

“You okay?” He asked, frowning when the other shook his head.

“M-My chest…” Tord breathed, gripping onto the blankets. Turning to look at Tom as he placed a hand on the Norski’s forehead, Edd sighed and wrapped the blanket around Tord.

“Tom, could you get some medicine?” The brunet asked, feeling Tord flinch in his embrace. He looked over to see the 18 year old shivering, and definitely not from cold.

“N-No….p-pills.” Tord whimpered, subconsciously leaning against Matt as he squeezed his eyes shut. It was then that Edd remembered Tord’s episode had begun shortly after Matt had brought the pills out. He frowned at all the possible things that could have caused trauma to Tord and rubbed his back comfortingly.

“We won't give you any pills, I promise.” Edd murmured. “Tom’s just gone to get the liquid ones, is that okay with you?”

Tord sniffled as he calmed his rapidly beating heart and nodded shakily. Returning with a bottle of kiddie medicine and a spoon in his hands, Tom passed the objects over to Edd and made some sort of excuse to use the bathroom.

“Can you open your mouth for me?” Edd suggested, pouring some medicine onto the spoon and hovering it in front of Tord’s mouth, which hesitantly opened.

Swallowing the medicine and letting himself relax, Tord felt his eyes flutter back to the paused movie as Matt gently played with his hair. The medicine did taste better than the others he had been taking; for one, it didn't lie about the flavour.

“Ready to continue?” Matt asked with a soft smile, clicking the movie on when Tord nodded.

The rest of the morning was pretty peaceful; Tom had returned a few minutes later to resume watching, and each of them took turns to point out continuity errors and laughed at funny scenes. Tord let himself sink into Matt’s arms with a smile, his hands no longer gripping onto the fabric around him. He could get used to life like this...

* * *

Tord awoke sometime later, confused as to when he had even fallen asleep. Sitting up in the sofa, the ginger scanned his surroundings. It looked like someone had drawn the curtains, and the Norski already had a clear idea of who it could have been.

Taking a few whiffs of the air, Tord could smell the oh-so-glorious scent of bacon wafting around. His stomach rumbled and only then did he realise how hungry he really was. Tord’s eyes glanced over at the clock and noticed it was three in the afternoon. Dammit, that meant Tom had said something to the others. 

Well, the bacon was desperately calling him and he couldn't just ignore it. Tord swung his legs off the sofa and stumbled towards the kitchen, expecting Edd to be there. But instead of his cola-loving friend cooking, Tord was a bit surprised when his eyes settled on Matt. 

“Oh, Tord! You're up!” Matt cheerfully said, not realising that the other flinched. “Are you hungry? Edd said you loved bacon, so he taught me how to cook it the way you like.”

Tord didn't know what to say. For one, Matt had said his name without any mistakes. For another, he was cooking. Had Tord brought some sort of curse into the house? “Y-you….cook?” He slowly questioned.

“Mhm! After you left, Edd gave me some cooking lessons so he wouldn't feel so stressed out all the time.” Matt answered with a small frown.

Tord quickly looked around the apartment and realised how quiet it was, save for Ringo purring as she snuggled beside Matt’s leg. “U-Um….w-where are the o-others?”

“Tom and Edd? Oh, they said they needed to take a walk and talk things out.” The strawberry blond replied, placing some bacon onto a plate and handing it over to Tord.

The Norski hesitantly took the plate as his mind whirled with questions. Did Edd not trust him? Of course, Tom was mad at him; he would barely even speak to him. Were they discussing on when they should turn him in?

He was shaken out of his thoughts by a small meow from below him. Tord’s eyes trailed down to face Ringo looking back at him with a concerned look in her eyes. “You coming?” Matt called from the living room. Oh...Tord had really been out of it then.

“Y-yeah…” He mumbled in embarrassment, following the other back to the sofa. Placing the bacon into his mouth, Tord practically melted at the pure flavour. Matt was really good at replicating Edd’s cooking; it was exactly how he loved it. He could feel tears bubbling up in his eyes when he remembered all the good times the four of them had before he had ruined their lives.

Tord quickly wiped them away before Matt could see; he didn't want the Brit being occupied with another of his attacks alone and instead managed a smile when Ringo began to pat on his leg.

“You w-want some?” Tord gently asked the grey cat as he held out a small bit of bacon. Ringo responded fondly by meowing at him and leaping forward. Lifting his hand higher so that the cat couldn't reach it, Tord chuckled a bit when Ringo pounded onto his chest and gobbled up the piece of bacon.

Matt watched the two with a fond smile as he ate his own bacon, his heart warming as he listened to the Norski’s laugh. It had been so long since he had heard Tord’s genuine laugh, it was such a refreshing sound. The 18 year old tore off a bit of bacon and held it out as he clicked his teeth. “Ringo! Do you want it from me?” He called.

The grey cat watched his hand carefully before growling and curling beside Tord as he stroked her fur, smiling at how comically betrayed Matt looked. “Fine, no crackers for you!” The blond decided, shoving the piece into his mouth.

Tord had finished his plate, with a little help from Ringo, and was now petting the forest cat. Matt hadn't even noticed he had spaced out while staring at Tord’s face.

The Norwegian had suffered serious burns to his face, that were probably permanent due to the fact they hadn't healed in two years. Matt had caught a glimpse of a grey tint in Tord’s usually brown eyes, which could mean slight blindness.

Matt still couldn't shake it out of his head that Tord had survived that horrific explosion; it was like a miracle. The Brit jumped slightly when he felt a small paw situating itself on his lap. He looked up to see Tord holding Ringo up while the cat swatted at his lap.

“A-are you okay…?” Tord asked, hesitation in his voice. Quick Matt, think of an excuse now!

“Uh, yeah...I was just wondering…” The teen began, his eyes frantically scanning for features on Tord’s face that wasn't a scar to use as an excuse. “....how do you get your hair like that?” He blurted, pointing towards the other's hair.

Tord blinked in confusion as his fingers brushed over his hair. “M-My horns…?” He questioned.

“Yeah, wouldn't that need, like, a lot of gel?” Matt pressed on, slowly leaning into Tord to get a better look. He was actually very curious about it now that he mentioned it.

“N-No...there's a s-specific way to d-do it.” Tord answered, watching as Matt’s amber eyes brightened.

“Can you style my hair?” He beamed. “If you don't want to, I understand.”

“No, I c-can do it.” Tord quickly stammered, hopping off the sofa to reach Matt’s hair. He had never gotten the opportunity to style another person's hair, besides the time Patryk’s hair was getting long so Tord had to give him a ponytail. The Norski shook the thought of his friend away as he gently ran a hand over Matt’s soft hair.

“After this, do you wanna paint your nails?” Matt suggested. The idea seemed weird, but it wouldn't hurt to try, would it?

Tord parted the other's hair as he got started on the horns with a smile on his face. He never thought being reunited with his friends would be a good experience. 

“Sure thing.”

Huh. He hadn't stuttered in that sentence. Maybe...he was getting comfortable with Matt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we have our first alone time with Matt and Tord. Though, I'm still not sure if that's how panic attacks work, I've never had one happen to me.
> 
> Ringo is still best girl and no one can disagree with me.


	7. Alone with Matt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom and Edd go out for shopping while Matt and Tord have a whole makeover session with the former's confiscated makeup set.

Tom let out a loud groan as he was forced to carry several bags of clothing and walk another half a mile to get to the trousers department. Edd had specifically told him that they were going to talk and now the Brit was being dragged through multiple shops to look for clothes for the commie.

Tom’s voidless eyes followed Edd’s figure as the artist dashed from side to side, peering through a selection of jeans. Edd returned to the other, holding up a pair of ripped jeans with a confused expression. “Do you think Tord even wears jeans?”

“Edd, we've been here for two hours. Does it really look like I care what the damned commie likes to wear?” Tom droned, collapsing into a nearby bench as he let his grip on the bags disappear. Edd sighed at his friend's behaviour and tossed the jean back in the display before grabbing some baggy sweatpants.

“Come on, Tom. Don't be so sour.” Edd mumbled, peering at the height range.

“Well, I'm sorry the guy who blew up **our** house is relaxing on **my** sofa.” Tom snapped, his eyes trailing down to find an off licence, suddenly wishing he was alone. “I don't exactly trust him 100%.”

“Neither do I.” Edd shot, tossing a few trousers into his trolley before making his way over to Tom.

“He could be plotting something right under our noses, and I'm going to be the first to notice.” The 18 year old snarled, standing up to follow Edd to the checkouts.

“Except for the fact that he can barely look at you without having a mental breakdown.” Edd noted, making sure to head for the self checkouts in case Tom wanted to spit something about Tord.

“How do we know if he's not faking it?” Tom questioned, watching the numbers build up as Edd scanned each item.

Placing his credit card into the scanner, the brunet let out an annoyed sigh as he turned to look at his void eyed friend. “I'm the only one out of the three of us who has experienced a panic attack. You can't fake one, Tom.” He commented.

Tom growled as he headed for the exit, deciding to wait for Edd in the car. “Don't come sobbing to me when that commie betrays you a second time.” He huffed.

“He won't betray-” Edd began began.

“How do you know?” The alcoholic snapped, turning around to face the other.

“ **I don't know!** ” Edd shot back, his voice raising to a yell. Tom was surprised, to say the least, and took a step back. Edd hadn't raised his voice to anyone since the first year after The End. The cola lover was definitely stressed and Tom didn't want to be the cause of an anxiety attack, so he promptly turned on his heels and towards the exit.

“I'll wait for you in the car.” Tom said, his voice hushed; clearly taken aback by Edd's outburst. The brunet watched his friend leave the mall, his fingers still clasped around the plastic bag as his hazel eyes were glued to the doors. When he couldn't see Tom anymore, Edd groaned and forcefully shoved the trousers into the bag and took his credit card out of the scanner.

He really didn't know why he was acting like this. Sure, Tord _seemed_ fidgety around them, but what if it was an act? Considering how good of an actor the Norski was, anything he was doing could be fake.

 _The End_ was all his fault; it wouldn't have happened if he didn't invite Tord back in. He wouldn't have gotten so much anxiety speaking to new people, Matt would have been so confident, Tom wouldn't be drinking as much and Jon wouldn't have lost most of his memories. They would have still had a house.

But no. Edd just _had_ to be so forgiving and let their trigger happy friend back into the house. Tom had suspected it immediately, but the brunet kept waving him off.

It was all his fault, he should have listened to Tom. Edd was so stupid, naïve, such an idiot. Why was he here? Why was he trusting Tord again? Edd was going to be responsible for the destruction of an entire apartment complex. There would be so many bodies, all laying there. Because of him. It's his fault, his fault his fault his fault _his fault his fault his fault his-_

Edd let out a strangled gasp as his hands gripped onto the counter, stumbling for balance. He tried to grasp the situation and what exactly was going on, but his vision was spinning out of control and his heart was pumping full of adrenaline.

Remember your breathing exercises, Edd.

_Breathe in for four, hold it for two, breathe out on ten._

Edd shakily inhaled as he slid down the wall, brushing a hand over his brown hair as he repeated the steps in his mind.

_In…_

_...hold…_

_….Out…._

He was doing good, just needed to keep it up. Squeezing his eyes shut, he imagined Ringo in his arms, relief flooding over him.

_In…._

_...hold…._

_….Out…_

Once he was stable enough to stand on his own two feet, the artist grabbed the bags that he had discarded and got the hell out of there.

His hazel eyes scanned the car park frantically for Tom’s Toyota, finding it parked just a few feet away from him. Edd practically ran towards it and scrambled into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut with such a force. He could feel Tom’s empty eyes on him as he tossed the bags into the back and clicked his seatbelt. His friend speaking almost made him jump in his seat, but the cartoonist managed to stop himself.

“You okay?” Tom quietly asked, suspecting that something happened while he was gone.

Edd shakily nodded, avoiding eye contact with the other as he fiddled with the hem of his hoodie. “Y-yeah...just...need a minute.” He could hear his own voice waver as he spoke. 

Tom watched his friend with a curious look. He knew the cola lover was lying, and judging by the amount of shaking his hands were doing, Edd just had another panic attack. Tom let his hand slip off the steering wheel as he gave a small sigh. “Need a hug?”

The brunet weakly laughed as he wiped a few oncoming tears. “Maybe…” He admitted. Tom smiled sadly as he reached over the gears to pull Edd into a hug. How long had it been since the artist had an attack? Almost a year. They had thought he had gotten over it, but with Tord’s return, both him and Matt knew it would happen someday.

“Better?” The 18 year old gently asked when Edd’s hiccups came to a slow and he was no longer breathing as fast.

Edd pulled away from the hug and nodded, fixing his now messy hair. “Yeah. Thanks, Tom.” He answered with a smile.

“Anytime, Edd.” Tom nodded, placing his hands back on the wheels as he turned the engine on. “Ready to go home?”

“Mhm.” Edd hummed, leaning back into the seat with a relaxed sigh. Okay, he just had to keep it cool when he got back and make sure no one notices he had a panic attack.

Tom pressed on the gas and got out of there, getting back onto the main road as he headed for the apartment building.

The brunet lifted his head at the sight of a hair salon with a smirk. “Do you think Matt has found where you hid all his makeup?” He queried.

Tom gave a smirk of his own as he turned the wheel to the left. “Doubt it. Even if he does, the box is padlocked; there's no way he can open it.” He answered, glad that Edd was acting normally now.

* * *

Tord watched in curiosity as the Brit in front of him dug through a box of items, occasionally tossing out hairbands, combs and bobbypins. 

“Which colour do you want to paint them?” Matt asked, bringing out several different bottles of different colours. Tord glanced over them, trying to decide what colour looked best.

“Um….could I have that one?” The Norski asked, pointing to one that looked purple-ish.

“Ah, Lushious Lavender. Great choice!” Matt smiled, putting the rest away and sitting cross legged in front of the other. “Can you put your hands on my lap?”

Tord glanced at his hands with a confused look in his eyes; one was perfectly fine while the other was covered in bandages. “I….don't…” He trailed off, softly gesturing at his nonoperating arm.

“It's fine, you don't really need two hands to wear nail polish.” Matt waved it off, gently pulling Tord’s normal hand onto his lap and twisted the bottle open.

“Will it hurt?” Tord slowly asked, relaxing when Matt laughed and shook his head.

“Not at all! It's pretty harmless, really.” The 18 year old reassured the Norski. “And if you don't like it anymore, you can just peel it right off.”

Tord nodded at that and watched in satisfaction as Matt dragged the brush across his nail, being soft to the touch, and the paint covered almost all of his nail. Matt hummed a little tune while he worked, leaving Tord alone with his thoughts.

The 18 year old remembered how little contact Tom had with him. It was almost like the Brit was avoiding him and only interacted when others were with him.

“Matt?” Tord quietly called, his eyes glancing into the other's amber orbs. Matt didn't seem to notice, however; he was too focused with the other's nails. 

“Yes Tord?” Matt mumbled, dipping the brush back in the bottle to collect some more paint. There! He did it again. Was it Tord’s lucky streak, or did Matt finally remember his name?

“Does…” Tord bit down on his tongue, wondering if he should really be asking Matt. “Does Tom hate me?”

Matt finally looked up once those words left the Norwegian’s lips and frowned. “Of course not! Out of the three of us, he might as well be the most glad that you're even alive.” He answered, focusing his attention back on Tords nails. “He was so worried that he had killed you. If only I could count the amount of times he wailed for you to come back when he got drunk.”

Tord was shocked by Matt’s answer; he had no idea that Tom cared so much for him. He had to resist the urge to scratch at his bandages and instead looked down at his nails. Matt had finished three of them already and was getting set on the fourth one.

“But...he avoids me most of the time.” Tord interjected, arching a brow when Matt blew a raspberry, dipping the brush into the bottle again.

“He's just worried he'll make you feel more on edge.” Matt explained. “Comforting others really isn't his forté, so he tends to avoid situations that lead to tears.”

Tord nodded once again, watching Matt finish up on the last one. “There we go. What do you think?” Matt beamed.

The Norski lifted his palm to get a better look at it, inspecting the colour. He loved how it glistened in the sunlight, and it had a sort of metallic touch to it. “It looks amazing! Thank you…” Tord mumbled.

“You're welcome!” Matt chirped, clicking the bottle shut as he returned to the box to grab another colour. “You can paint my nails if you want.”

Perking up when he heard that, Tord looked at Matt’s hand to see a bottle of red nail polish in his palm. “I thought you liked purple.” He muttered, watching as the other passed the bottle over to him.

“Oh, I do. But you put on my favourite colour, so I thought I could put on your favourite colour.” Matt replied with a shrug, gently placing both hands on the Norski’s lap. That sounded….fair actually. Tord situated himself so that he could properly paint his nails, taking the brush out of the bottle and gently brushing it across the nails. Now that he was looking at them closely, Tord noticed just how long Matt’s nails were. They were really pretty; for a guy.

“If you don't mind me asking...Where did you go for two years?” Matt questioned out of pure curiosity. The other tensed at the question, his hand jerking as the brush went over Matt’s finger.

“I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to-” Tord stammered, calming down a little when the blond gave him a small smile.

“It's alright, we can just peel it off when it dries.” Matt waved him off, glancing down to see that Tord’s hand was trembling. “You can forget about the question if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“N-No...you just startled me a bit.” Tord replied, dipping the brush into the bottle and gently taking Matt’s ring finger. “You know that I am the leader of the Red Army, correct?”

Matt thought shortly before he gave a nod to confirm his answer. “Mhm. Tom told us a little while after you left.”

He was a little surprised to know that Tom had actually done some research on him. “Well...I left back to my base...and did nothing...for two years.”

_Wow, Tord. Way to kill the mood._

Matt peered up to look at the Norwegian, intrigued by what he had said. “Could you perhaps tell me where your base is?” He queried.

Tord managed to smile a little at the blond’s curiosity, but shook his head. “Classified information.” He answered.

“Understandable.” Matt nodded, perking up when he heard the front door open. “Ah, they're back!”

It took a bit, but soon Edd and Tom stood by the doorway to the bedroom, each raising their eyebrow in confusion at the scene. “Uh...Matt?” Edd was the first to speak up, his voice clearly saying _‘what the hell is going on here?’._

“Yeah Edd?” Matt chirped, tearing his gaze away from the nail polish to look at his friend.

Edd slowly pointed a finger to the two's hairstyles, trying to find the right words. “Why is your hair…?” was all he could get out.

“Oh, Tord styled it for me.” Matt smiled, blissfully unaware of how the two were looking at him like he had gone crazy.

“ **You** let **Tord** style _your_ hair?” Edd questioned. Wow, the blond had already begun to trust him. Matt just nodded in response as Tord finished painting his nails, making sure to avoid eye contact with the others as he quickly shut the bottle.

“And you're _both_ wearing nail polish...because?” Tom interjected, catching how Tord flinched. The Norski quickly rose, hiding his palm under the sleeve of his hoodie as his eyes were pointed towards the ground. “C-Could I use the b-bathroom?” He stuttered.

“Of course. It's the third on the right.” Edd replied, watching as the ginger excused himself and scurried out of the room. Tom let his eyes slip off the Norwegian and faced the Brit sitting cross legged on his bedroom floor.

“Matt, how did you open the box?” The alcoholic queried, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trousers. The strawberry blond simply grinned as he whipped out his key to Tom’s apartment.

“You used the same padlock for the apartment.” Matt smugly said, pocketing the key and chuckled as Tom face palmed himself. “You really need to stop buying the same product when you're drunk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Makeup sesh! Even as the author I really liked writing the scene that they were painting each other's nails, it seemed really adorable to me and just....
> 
> Made me un poco loco 0.0


	8. Cupcakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edd changes Tord's bandages and they propose making cupcakes to make him feel better.

Collapsing onto the lid of the toilet seat, Tord covered his face with his hands as his face was flushed. He couldn't believe Tom had seen him. His heart was racing as he glanced over at the nail polish. Tord had had a great time with Matt; the other almost made him forget why he was even there.

Tord peered under his bandages, realising that he'd have to change it soon. His eyes darted across the cabinets, but couldn't find new bandages. The Norski nearly slammed his head onto the pipes above him when he heard knocking on the bathroom door.

“Tord...can I come in?”

Oh god, it was Edd. The ginger slowly got off the toilet seat and unlatched the door, letting the brunet inside. “How are you doing?” Edd gently at him as Tord fiddled with the door handle.

“I-I'm feeling f-fine…” The teen mumbled, gazing into the box that was in the other's hands.

“No headaches or anything?” Edd questioned, nodding in relief when Tord hesitantly shook his head. He noticed the way the Norski was glaring at the box and set it down on the bathroom floor. “I noticed your bandages needed to be replaced. Is it okay with you if I change them?”

“Mm…” Tord hummed, nodding at the cartoonist, getting set on the seat and noticing Matt standing awkwardly by the doorway.

“Can I come in?” The Brit gently asked, entering the bathroom when the Norski nodded. Edd got out the gauze, antibiotics and cotton balls, looking at Tord with a sympathetic smile.

“This will hurt a bit, okay?” Edd advised.

“Here, you can lean into me and squeeze my arm if it hurts.” Matt suggested, smiling sadly when Tord immediately complied. Edd lifted the sleeve of his hoodie and got started with removing the old bandages.

Once the pieces of wool had come off of Tord’s arm, the two could see just what kind of damage it had gotten. The sight was just horrendous; the skin had multiple deep cuts as well as turning red at the area. The arm was so mutilated that Edd was honestly surprised it hadn't been amputated. The brunet tore his gaze away to throw the old bandages into the bin before grabbing the cotton and antibiotics.

“Ready?” He softly asked, frowning when Tord whimpered in response. “I'll try and do it as quick as I can.”

The 18 year old flinched the second the cotton made contact with his skin; he always hated this part. Tord rapidly tapped his foot against the floor and gripped tight onto Matt’s arm to relieve some pain.

Tord tried to keep his attention back to when him and Matt were hanging out while the strawberry blond was currently stroking his hair. The Norski opened his eyes in surprise when he heard Matt begin to sing.

 _“If you're a lover, you should know_  
_The lonely moments just get lonelier_  
_the longer you're in love_  
_Than if you were alone.”_ Matt sang, smiling to himself when Tord’s grip on his arm disappeared. He seemed to be calming down a little; hopefully the Brit could keep him distracted until Edd was done.

 _“Memories turn into daydreams,_  
_Become a taboo.”_ Tord knew this song; he had sung it with them one karaoke night. He perked up when he heard Edd begin to sing it too, his heart filling up with such warmth.

 _“I don't want to be afraid_  
_The deeper that I go_  
_It takes my breath away_  
_Soft hearts, electric souls.”_ Edd sang with a smile as he gently brushed the cotton over Tord’s arm to disinfect it. He really missed singing this with the others, Tord had always seemed happier after singing it. _“Heart to heart and eyes to eyes, is this taboo?”_

Matt smiled when Edd sang the chorus with him, remembering those nights spent playing laser tag in the house and shoving their faces with as much junk food as they could. He missed the simpler times.

**“Baby, we built this house on memories**  
**Take my picture now, shake it till you see it**  
**And when your fantasies become your legacy**  
**Promise me a place**  
**In your house of memories.”**

By the time they finished the chorus, Edd had finished cleaning Tord’s arm and grabbed the new bandages. He gently wrapped it around the arm while Matt softly hummed the beat of the song. They really had built their house on memories; and….Tord had destroyed it.

The cartoonist smiled in success when he was done and Tord slowly released himself from Matt’s arms. “T-Thank y-you…” He stammered, his brown eyes falling to his shoes.

“You're welcome.” Edd replied, placing the kit back into the box as he stood up. “We were gonna bake some cupcakes, do you want to help?”

Tord fiddled with his new bandages, making sure they wouldn't fall off. He knew there would be absolutely no way of healing it back to normal, so it most definitely had to be amputated; and the ginger was not looking forward to that. “O-Okay…” He answered.

“We're not forcing you to do anything, it's your choice.” Matt perked in, hoping Tord didn't feel like he had no say in the matter.

“I-I k-know…” Tord mumbled, taking the blond’s hand when it was offered to him. “I w-want to do it.”

“Alright, me and Matt will set up the ingredients.” Edd decided, placing the box on top of the cabinets in case they would need it again. “Tord, could you make sure Tom isn't drinking? I'd prefer it if he was sober.”

Once those words left the brunette’s mouth, Tord became a stuttering mess, his face flushing a little as he twiddled with his fingers. “U-Uh….I-I...mm...d-don’t….E-Edd…”

Matt’s eyes flickered between the Norwegian and his friend. “Uh, Edd. I don't think that's a good idea.” The strawberry blond interrupted.

“N-No! I-I’ll do it!” Tord quickly stammered, not wanting to cause an argument between his two friends. He promptly left the bathroom after that, making his way to the kitchen. He didn't want to look weak in front of the others.

If If he remembered correctly, Tom preferred to drink his Smirnoff cold, so the Brit was probably searching the fridge for some.

Tord skidded to a halt when he saw Tom leaning against the kitchen counter, a newspaper in his hands as Ringo was perched on his shoulders, rubbing her fur against the 18 year old. The Norski tensed when Tom’s void eyes looked up to face him and he arched an eyebrow. “Can I...help you?” Tom awkwardly asked.

The ginger managed to snap himself out of the daze he was in, his eyes falling to the kitchen floor as he fumbled for words to say. “U-Uh….E-Edd told m-me to...t-tell you…” Tord stopped himself here, taking deep breaths in and out. He needed to stop being so nervous around the other. “Y-You're not a-allowed to get d-drunk.”

Tom let out an amused chuckle, placing the newspaper onto the counter as Ringo pounced onto it. “Oh really?” He asked, eyeing Tord’s figure for any flaws in his ‘act’.

Tord just nervously nodded, his mind screaming at him to just make a run for it. The awkward silence wasn't helping much either; he knew that Tom was looking him up and down.

Finally, Tom pushed himself off the counter as he begun to make his way towards the door. “Don't worry, I haven't had that much. Takes me loads of shots to even get tipsy.” He noted, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Walking past the Norwegian, Tom caught a glimpse of Tord’s nails, noticing that he hadn't taken the nail polish off yet. That was strange, the Brit was almost certain the ginger would have torn it off the moment he was out of Matt’s sight. Tom could also see that his bandages had been replaced, the pure white color distinct from the previous yellow.

Tom gave a smirk as he walked past Tord, deciding to embarrass the Norski for fun and laughs. “Nice nails by the way.” He commented, leaving the kitchen.

Tord’s face turned red at the comment as he quickly pulled his sleeve down to hide the palm of his hand, and he began to sweat from anxiety. Oh god, Tom had seen them. Stupid Tord you should have taken it off. Now he's going to tease you about it; great going! The ginger jumped slightly at the sound of Matt and Edd entering the kitchen, but managed to calm his slight shaking so they wouldn't notice.

“Sorry, it took us a while to get the cake mix. Matt is such a bother when it comes to sugar.” Edd announced with a smile, placing the bag onto the counter.

“I am not!” Matt shot. “It just...looked nice, is all.”

Edd laughed as he took out the ingredients, making sure to keep it away from the blond. “Matt, you tried to eat the vanilla extract.”

“Hey, it tastes great! It's a fair argument!” Matt pouted, following the brunet to the counter. Tord watched the two interact with a smile on his face, slowly making his way towards them.

“Heya girl. Mind scooting over a little?” Edd gently murmured, as Ringo meowed and leapt off the table, padding out of the kitchen. “That works too, I guess. Come on you two. We got a cake to bake!”

The Norski’s brown eyes scanned over the items, finding most of them were vanilla ingredients as well as edible stickers. “W-What can I d-do?” Tord chimed in, placing his arms on the counter as he watched Edd dash around the kitchen for bowls and utensils.

“Tord, your job is to help me when you can. And to also keep Matt away from the sugar.” The brunet instructed, promptly slapping the blond’s hand to make his point. Tord giggled a bit and nodded in understanding.

“Ow, that hurt.” Matt mumbled, giving his hand a kiss. “And I don't need to be babysat.” He huffed, though a smile was evident on his face.

“D-Don't worry, Matt. If you're g-good, you can have three cupcakes.” Tord negotiated, his cheeks curving into a smile when the other began cheering. Edd was a bit surprised when he noticed that the Norski hadn't stuttered quite that much, but decided to not address it.

The two got set on making the batter, tossing in some milk when it didn't look creamy enough. Matt had seated himself on the counter opposite them and was observing the two while humming a song Tord hadn't heard of before. The ginger was currently having a good time with Edd as he helped the cartoonist pour the cake batter into the separate cups, occasionally slapping Matt’s hand away from the jar of sprinkles and apologising when he slapped too hard. The Norwegian had almost forgotten about the whole The End incident, and frowned when he caught sight of his bandaged arm.

Finally, the batter was made and put into the oven for half an hour. The two were washing their hands when the brunet noticed that Tord probably hadn't taken a shower in a few days.

“Hey Tord,” Edd softly began. “I don't mean to sound rude, but you need a shower.”

Tord perked up when he heard that, his brown eyes looking over his wrists and noticing the dirt beginning to accumulate. Oh right. Shower. He had forgotten about it when he fell into his depressed state, and only took those when Paul forcefully shoved him into the bathrooms. “But I don't have a-any spare clothes.” He said.

“Don't worry. Me and Tom went out to get you some.” The brunet reassured him, as Tord arched a brow. Edd had really taken some of his own time just to get him some new clothes? Did they seriously trust him that easily?

“And don't worry about a towel; Tom usually has a spare in in his bathroom.” Matt added, smiling when Tord gave them a nod.

“I'll get out your new clothes, just step into the shower.” Edd pressed, watching the ginger leave the kitchen. “Hey Matt. Is it a bad idea to hand the job over to Tom?”

* * *

Tom had been in his room, occupied with playing Susan as he blankly stared at his door. He wasn't so much ‘playing’, more so just plucking at the strings as his mind raced with thoughts.

Tord had been….strangely quiet. The Brit had even snuck up on the other to see if he was plotting something under his breath. But Tord had just been mumbling to himself about ‘being more confident’ with the others. Tom just couldn't wrap his head around the situation. Had Tord turned over a new leaf, or was he keeping a low profile while something big was being planned? At the moment, the brunet was fifty fifty.

Tom lifted his head when he saw a flash of red passing his doorway and gently placed his guitar on his bed, heaving himself off the mattress. He slowly made his way towards the door, watching the other male.

Tord seemed to be getting ready for a shower, with his spare towel in his hands. The brunet internally groaned as he searched through the bags that Edd had dumped by his wardrobe, pulling out a shirt and jeans.

“Hey commie!” Tom called, facing the other who jumped when he was addressed. “Here are your clothes.”

Tord stumbled to catch the bundle of fabric, looking over them. The shirt was white and had red sleeves as well as a red neck line, while the jeans were a plain black. “Edd figured you like red so much.” Tom added.

The Norski looked up to face the other male, who was leaning against the doorframe and seemed uninterested in a conversation. Tom noticed how anxious the ginger looked and sighed in annoyance. “Soap is on the top shelf and shampoo is by the hair products. Break anything in there, and I'll break what's left of you.” He snapped, shutting his door and leaving the Norwegian to his shower.

Tord flinched at the sound of Tom slamming his door shut and faced the bathroom, taking a deep breath in. It was a relief that the Brit had left so early; the ginger was sure he was on the verge of an anxiety attack. Tord gently pushed the door open, stepping in and latching it shut before he began to slip off his hoodie, leaving him in his grey shirt.

Switching on the water and letting the water drip onto his hair, Tord began to think about Paul and Patryk. They must be worried out of their minds, considering the fact that he _did_ technically disappear on them.

* * *

Edd slowly took the cakes out of the oven to check if they were baked well enough. The outside was a crispy golden, while the inside was very much still batter. Placing the tray back into the oven and slipping the oven mitts off his hands, the brunet turned around to notice that Matt was glancing down the hall and towards Tom’s door.

“Edd...do you think Tom is being a little too harsh on Tord?” Matt asked, his amber eyes falling onto the newspaper beside the toaster. Edd sighed after the strawberry blond had asked that question, crossing his arms in response.

“He's still having a hard time trusting Tord. But he'll come around.” The brunet reassured him. All Matt could do was nod silently and fiddle with the bottle of sprinkles.

Edd's frown curved into a smile when his cat returned, searching for a treat. “So you decided to come back just because you're hungry, huh?” He chuckled, lifting Ringo into his arms and beginning to raid Tom’s cabinets. Speaking of the alcoholic…

“Cat food is above the stove.” The 18 year old’s voice filled the kitchen as the others turned to look at him. Tom’s empty eyes gazed over at the oven, noticing there was a tray in there. “What are you making?”

“Cupcakes!” Matt beamed, helping Edd reach the cat food, since he was the tallest out of the group. “We're trying to make Tord feel more at home.”

Tom raised an eyebrow at that, but just shrugged in return and made his way into the living room, collapsing into the sofa and looking at Professor Why. He'd probably have to ask Tord some questions when the both of them were alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting sooner, I was feeling a little under the weather.
> 
> I don't know what to say about this chapter, its 2am and I have school in the morning. I need s l e e p-


	9. Your Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul and Pat are working hard to find their kidnapped boss and friend, while Tord finishes up in the shower and notices Tom's phone.

Patryk looked over his shoulder to look at the other, rubbing his tired eyes in exhaustion. Since Tord had gone missing, he and Paul couldn't sleep well, or not even sleep at all. And now karma had come to slap the both of them in the face like the bitch she is. “Got any leads?” He tiredly mumbled, spinning the globe that was in front of him to keep him awake.

The darker haired male listened to his partner giving him a sigh as Paul leaned against him, nuzzling into Patryk’s back. “Nope.” was his one worded reply.

“We'll find him, Paul…” Patryk muttered, gently reaching out for the other's hand in the dark. Intertwining his fingers with Paul's and squeezing his hand, the 24 year old shut his eyes.

“But he won't exactly be comfortable with being tossed back into his friends’ lives. Who believe that he betrayed them, may I add.” Paul shot, brushing his other hand through his light brown hair. “Who knows if he's having another panic attack right this moment? Who will calm him down? Who will sing him to sleep?”

“Paul, hush. You're overworking yourself, min elsker.” Patryk hummed, lifting his head at the sound of a knock on the office door. “Come in.”

The door creaked open to show a soldier standing there with a clipboard. Judging by the uniform she was wearing, the two right hand men could tell she was from the Radar and National Intelligence sector.

“Har vi noen opplysninger på de andre tre?” Patryk voiced, eyeing the young soldier as her green eyes scanned the readings from the paper before looking back at him.

“Ingen herre, det ser ut til å være ingen rekord helt siden ‘Enden’.” She replied, frowning when the other sighed and rubbed his temples.

“Takk skal du ha, min soldat. You may take break.” The darker haired adult announced, watching the door swing shut as she left. “Faen, hvordan skal vi finne ham gjennam alt dette kaoset?”

Patryk lifted his head when he heard sniffling from behind him and swivelled his chair to face his partner. Paul had sank onto the table and wrapped his arms around his head as he sobbed. The 24 year old’s heart sank at the display and he stood up to comfort him.

“Fuck….Paul, please don't cry.” He quietly said, feeling his own eyes tear up. “You know how bad I am at comforting people...Paul…”

Wrapping his arms gently around the other, Patryk frowned and leaned his cheek against Paul's brown tuft of hair. “It's my fault he's gone…” The 22 year old whimpered.

“No, in fact, it's my fault. I should have just let you be.” Patryk retorted, letting his eyes shut.

“But it really is my fault.” The other whined, wiping the tears away with the palm of his hand. “I know I shouldn't have gotten so caught up in work. I should have just done what you told me to.”

Listening to Paul quietly sniffling and hiccuping, Patryk’s mind began to race. What could he do to make the situation better? He already tried and failed, so there was no point in trying again. He really was the worst at comforting people.

The dark haired male knew that Tord meant a lot to the both of them. Sometimes when they interacted with each other, it felt like him and Paul were the irresponsible fathers while Tord was an equally irresponsible son.

Ever since Tord had returned from his friends, the 18 year old had made the both of their lives just that much better. And when Tord couldn't be strong for his army, Paul and Patryk were always there to be strong for him.

Patryk’s frown curved into a smirk when an idea popped into his head. He wasn't sure if it would help the current situation, but he sure as hell would try. “Alright,” He began, cracking his eyes open. “How about we make a deal?”

The other sniffled, but ceased rubbing his eyes to give the 24 year old a hum of confusion. Paul felt his partner lean deeper into the hug as he gave a soft smile.

“We both blame ourselves for this happening and quit the tears.” Patryk suggested. “Then we get right back to work. How does that sound?”

The 22 year old couldn't hold back a chuckle at Patryk’s persuasive skills. He may have not been the best, but at least he tried. Paul leaned his head into the other's arms and closed his eyes. “Fine. You have a deal.”

Patryk gave him a smile and leaned over his shoulders to give him a small peck. He had also successfully caught Paul in a surprise attack and chuckled when the other's face flushed. “You look so cute when you're flustered.” He mumbled against the kiss.

Paul's cheeks darkened at the comment, but pulled his partner closer. “Shut it.” He grumbled, lightly nibbling on Patryk’s bottom lip.

“Jeg elsker deg, kjære.” Patryk muttered, before pulling away and straightening his overcoat.

Paul fiddled with his messy hair as he watched the other with a fond smile. “Thanks for cheering me up, Pat.”

Patryk looked up when he heard that, dusting his coat and smiled back. “You're welcome, Pau.”

He sat back onto his seat and pulled the laptop closer, continuing his work on finding their boss and close friend. Patryk’s chocolate brown eyes scanned the screen as he crossed off every possible location.

They had sent troops to look through the areas near the old house, but no soldier had gotten any reports, not even from the residents.

Patryk scrunched his nose when he smelt smoke and turned around to look at Paul. The 22 year old had a cigarette in his mouth and was currently lighting it. “Really? In _my_ office?” He questioned.

Paul just gave a shrug once the cigarette had lit up and placed the lighter onto the table.”Helps me think when I'm stressed.” The male answered, returning to his own laptop.

“Paul, you are going to die one day, and I swear I will dump a pack of it on your grave.” Patryk groaned.

“Well, I'll be grateful for you, Patty-cake.” Paul replied with a smirk, calling the other with his pet name. Patryk raised an eyebrow when his phone began to vibrate and eyed the device.

“Who's that?” Paul asked, not looking away from the screen as he clicked on a website for a hotel. The dark haired adult's eyes looked over the caller ID before sighing and leaning into the back of his seat.

“Unknown number.” He announced. “And I'm not answering it.”

“Why not?” Paul questioned, before practically shooting out of his chair. “What if it's Tord!?”

“Calm down.” Patryk softly advised, watching as the other's features brightened up.

“Maybe he found a phone and he's calling us! Pat, you have to answer it!” Paul exclaimed.

“Wha- me? I don't want to answer it!” Patryk stressed, lifting his phone off the table. “What if it's someone who got the wrong number? I hate explaining that to people.”

Paul huffed and rolled his visible eye, holding his hand out. “Then give it to me and I'll explain.” He commented.

The 24 year old hesitantly handed the phone to the other, watching as Paul answered the call and raised it to his ear. Patryk didn't know why, but his heart was pumping with adrenaline. Perhaps there was a part of him that secretly hoped it was Tord calling. They had been searching for days, it would be a relied to even just hear the 18 year old’s voice again. “Hello….?” Paul began, his own heart racing as he gripped onto Patryk’s hand for support.

_“Paul…?”_

* * *

Tord exited the shower once he was done, his hair wet as his previous clothes were strung over his arm. Dumping those into the washing machine and leaving the bathroom, the Norski passed Tom’s room. The door was left open, which confused him; usually Tom would close his room off whenever he wasn't in there.

The ginger caught sight of Tom's phone sitting on his bed and fiddled with his fingers. Unfortunately, the nail polish had scraped off in the shower, which made him feel bad for Matt; he had wasted the other's time.

Tord’s brown eyes flickered between the room and the hallway, looking for anyone that was coming this way. It seemed like Tom had gone into the living room to watch TV, while Edd and Matt remained in the kitchen. It wouldn't hurt to try...right? He could just call and then delete the number once he was done. Tom wouldn't even know that he had tampered with it.

Tord made his choice and quickly dashed into the room, gently pushing the door shut. He peered through the Brit’s room as a sense of nostalgia washed over him.

Tom had managed to get exact copies of his belongings from the house. From the checkered bed cover to the dark blue bedside tables. Tom's guitar was laying on his bed, just beside the phone, as several bits of tape covered the handle.

Tord froze when he saw a familiar photo hanging up on the wall. It was the photo the four of them had taken back in 2013. But why would Tom keep his copy? Why would he have someone who tried to kill him hanging on his wall? It didn't make sense to the Norwegian.

He managed to snap himself out of his thoughts when he remembered that Tom could walk in at any moment and settled his eyes on the iPhone. Picking it up with shaky hands, Tord pressed the power button, his heart skipping a beat when the screen lit up.

It was unlocked. And not in the sense that Tom had just gotten off his phone and it was still on; no, there was no password at all.

Maybe because the Brit had believed for so long that he had died, he figured he didn't need a password. Tord felt so guilty for leaving them to think he was dead.

His fingers glided across the screen, gently tapping on the phone icon and typing in Patryk’s number. Tord whispered each number under his breath as he prayed to god Tom wouldn't walk in on him. Trembling as he lifted the phone to his ears, Tord kept his eyes trained on the door as he listened to the continuous dial tone. He felt his heart skip a beat when he heard the familiar click, meaning that someone had picked up and the voice that filled the speakers was enough to begin the waterworks.

_“Hello?”_

Tord stumbled out of his trance, knowing that he had to say something. They needed to know that he was okay and unharmed. “Paul…?” He quietly called, fiddling with his shirt as he listened to the other end.

It was...silent. For a while, Tord believed that he had dialled the wrong number. He was just about to apologise and hang up when a voice on the other end made him freeze up.

_“Tord...is that you?”_

The 18 year old gripped onto the phone as he gave a nod in reply, quickly remembering that Paul couldn't see him. “Yes, it's m-me.” He answered, listening to the adult breathe a sigh of relief.

_“Where have you **been**? Me and Pat were worried sick about you!”_

The Norski felt his heart sink when he heard that; he had really worried them. But...they had actually cared for him? Oh boy, Tord felt like he was going to cry. Oop, too late he already is. Paul must have heard his sniffling through the receiver, because he had softened his tone of voice to a hush.

_“Woah woah, I'm sorry Tord. Just...just take deep breaths. You're fine, nothing’s going on. We're not mad at you.”_

The ginger listened to the comforting words that Paul was murmuring into the phone, keeping his breathing under control. When the muffled sobs came to a stop, the 22 year old questioned his wellbeing in that same soft tone.

_“Are you okay now?”_

Wiping some tears away, Tord took another breath in, nodding shakily. “I-I'm fine now...thank you.”

_“Okay, that's good. Do you know where you are now?”_

“Mhm. I'm in T-Tom’s apartment.” Tord replied.

_“Have they hurt you? Because I swear to god, I'm gonna take the next train to London and-”_

“No, they f-forgive me about the robot...I think.” Tord cut him off, a small smile tugging at his cheeks as his brown eyes gazed down the hallway. “I really am f-fine, though.”

 _“Oh thank god.”_ Paul sighed into the microphone. _“Pat, no. Put the rifle away.”_

The 18 year old managed to snort at that, leaning against the wall and sighing happily. Shakily, but happily. It was nice to know that he had friends who would kill anyone that would dare to hurt him. He lifted his head when he remembered something and pushed himself off the wall.

“Paul, I have to g-go now. They will be wondering w-what’s taking me so l-long.” Tord noted, smiling sadly when he heard the adult choke on his drink.

_“Oh...right. Haha...well, I guess we'll see you soon, Boss?”_

Tord nodded once again, smiling a little. “Please don't try to use a t-tracker, I disabled them.” He began. “But I p-promise I'll visit when I c-can.”

The speakers filled with the sound of the phone being tossed to someone else and when the voice began to speak, Tord registered that it was Patryk.

_“Boss, please try and eat some things, okay? Have you had any panic attacks since you arrived there?”_

Arrived was a nice way of saying being shoved into the back of a car and driven off against your will. Nice going, Patryk. The Norski thought for a brief moment before clicking his fingers in recognition. “I only had t-two, but Edd helped me.”

_"That's great. We'll keep everything in order here while you're gone, don't you worry about it. Call us when you miss home, alright?”_

“I will. Goodbye, Pat.” Tord called.

_“We love you, Tord. You know that?”_

The ginger was flustered a little, attempting to hide his slightly red face as he mumbled back a reply. “I love you g-guys too….” He could hear Patryk chuckle on the other end, which only made his face darken more.

_“Farvel nå.”_

The phone hung up promptly after that, as Tord released it from his ear, deleting Patryk’s number from Tom's phone. It was such a relief to speak to them, and the teen was sure he felt much lighter after that conversation.

He gently placed the phone onto the bed in the exact position it had been, before leaving the room untouched. Tord took a deep breath in as he looked down the hallway. From the music that was emerging from the living room, the ginger could tell that Tom was watching Professor Why. He never understood why the others enjoyed the show; it was boring and didn't maintain the actual time space concept. Everything was illogical, even the enemies. But he guessed they probably watched it just because of the special effects and action scenes.

He managed to suppress a flinch when he heard Matt calling for him, turning to see the strawberry blond by the kitchen door, covered head to toe in flour. Tord gave the other a fond smile as he followed Matt into the kitchen, waving goodbye to him as he left to take a shower.

The Norski watched as Edd prepared the icing bags, gently petting Ringo and handing her a few treats. For the first time in three days, Tord actually felt peaceful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ay, finally some more Norwegian for me to poorly translate! :D
> 
> min elsker = my lover  
> har vi noen opplysninger på de andre tre = do we have any information on the other three  
> ingen herre, det ser ut til å være ingen rekord helt siden ‘Enden’ = no sir, there appears to be no records since 'The End'  
> takk skal du ha = thank you  
> min soldat = my soldier  
> hvordan skal vi finne ham gjennam alt dette kaoset = how are we gonna find him through all this chaos  
> jeg elsker deg, kjære = I love you sweetheart  
> farvel nå = goodbye now
> 
> A little bit of PauPat for you guys UwU  
> Of course, Tord has deleted Pat's number off of Tom's phone, but that doesn't mean he won't slip up soon.  
> You guys have no clue what you're in for in the next chapters. Things are only gonna go downhill from here. >:3


	10. This Probably Should Have Been Expected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edd is done with the cupcakes and everyone sits down by the TV to eat. But something seems up with Tord...

“Have you got the final batch done?” Edd called, placing a few trays of cupcakes into the fridge to eat later. It was as if everyone was acting like he hadn't just broken out of a panic attack.

When Matt returned from taking a shower, the cartoonist had practically frozen up at the sight of Tord’s arm; wondering how he hadn't noticed it before. The perfect arm that hadn't been damaged by the explosion had been hidden under his hoodie, but now that Tord was wearing short sleeves, Edd could see above his elbows.

Scars covered almost every inch of his arm; and they weren't scars from the robot, they were precise cuts. Someone had to have done it by hand, and Edd did not like what it came to.

Edd had spun into a panic shortly after, while Matt rushed down the hall and attempted to bring him out of it. The Norski looked like he was on the verge of his very own panic attack, but managed to keep strong for the both of them.

“A-Almost.” Tord replied, placing some frosting onto the last three cupcakes. He licked the rest off his fingers when he was done and moved to wash his hands. Matt picked up the tray and began to head into the living room to wait for the two, while the ginger gripped onto the towel as he eyed the other with a frown. “I'm sorry…” He mumbled.

“Huh!?” Edd whirled round in surprise, his eyes scanning the Norwegian’s figure. “O-Oh, don't be sorry. It's not your fau-”

“It is my f-fault you had a panic attack.” Tord firmly argued. “I should have h-hidden them…”

“No no, it's not okay to hide them.” Edd shook his head before sighing. “Look, how about you go join the others? I'll follow after, I gotta clean this up.” He commented, pointing at all the bottles on the table.

Tord noticed that Edd just wanted to drop the conversation and nodded, slowly turning on his heel and making his way to the living room. Once he was sure that the Norski was out of his sight, Edd leaned against the kitchen counter and brushed a hand through his hair, exhaling through his nose.

Why did he have to embarrass himself and Tord like that? He guessed that he was shocked that there were visible scars on Tord’s body that showed he had been in pain. It convinced him just a bit more that the ginger was a changed man. Ugh, he really needed to stop having panic attacks; they were the absolute worst.

Regaining his composure and placing the sprinkles and food dyes back into the cupboards, Edd made his way into the living room. Matt and Tom were already feasting on the cupcakes as their attention was drawn to the TV, while Tord was crouched on the floor with Ringo in his arms. The brunet cleared his throat to make his presence known and fiddled with his fingers as he spoke.

“How are they?” Edd asked, lightly gesturing towards the tray of cupcakes on the coffee table.

Tom looked over his shoulder to face Edd with a lazy grin. “Really good. Thanks again, Edd.” He replied, taking a bite to prove his statement. Edd smiled back and joined Tord on the floor, gently scratching behind Ringo’s ear.

“She seems to really like you.” Edd gently said, watching as the ginger softly pulled the cat closer to his chest, nuzzling slightly into her fur.

“She h-helps me with my panic attacks…” Tord mumbled, stroking a hand over the cat's fur. Edd just gave a hum in response as his hazel eyes glanced over to the TV screen, noticing that it was an episode that they had already watched. He was confused for a brief moment, until he realised that Tom’s attention wasn't even on the show and Matt was glaring at his cupcake.

The brunet was broken from his state by a soft meow and turned his attention to Tord, seeing that Ringo was jumping out of his arms. She probably wanted to go and stretch.

“Hey, Tord. You haven't eaten one yet.” Matt called, watching as the other fiddled with his shirt before getting onto his feet. Tom's eyes followed the Norski’s figure as he went to grab a cupcake off the tray. The Brit noticed scars reigning over Tord’s arm, but decided against saying anything and instead sank into the sofa. When Tord selected his cupcake, he moved to return to his spot on the ground, before he froze in place at the sound of the empty eyed 18 year old.

“Sitting on the floor isn't comfortable, you know.” Tom pointed out, shuffling over to the side to make room on the sofa. “There's space here.”

Aaaaand he was a stuttering mess once again. Matt noticed how shaken Tord looked by the offer and scooted up beside Tom. “I can sit next to Tom if you don't want to.” The strawberry blond suggested. That seemed to work as the 18 year old reluctantly joined them on the sofa.

Tord found himself actually enjoying the show, despite the fact that it had so many budget cut props. The jokes weren't all that bad, and the action scenes were pretty kick ass. The Norski slipped his eyes off the screen to face Edd when the other let out a frustrated groan.

“What's up?” Tom hummed, turning his head to look at him.

“I left the cat treats in the kitchen.” Edd exclaimed, beginning to get on his feet when the ginger stopped him.

“I-I’ll get them!” Tord offered, hurrying into the kitchen before Edd could argue. He didn't want to feel like a burden on them, so he helped whenever he could.

Tord’s brown eyes gazed over the counter in a search for the abandoned treats and found them by the microwave. He went over to retrieve them, but as soon as his fingers wrapped around the box, Tord felt his vision spin out of control. He barely managed to keep a firm grip on the table as he attempted to calm his breathing.

This wasn't another panic attack; he hadn't even been stressed out. On top of being extremely dizzy and nauseous, Tord was sweating a lot all of a sudden and his knees knocked together.

What was going on? Did Edd add something into the cupcakes while he was away? No no, Edd would never do such thing...would he?

The 18 year old tried to shake those overwhelming thoughts out of his mind as he stumbled his way to the kitchen door. He had to tell someone what was going on; maybe Matt could help. Oh god, he was so dizzy, why was he dizzy?

Tord could just about see a bit of the doorframe as he leaned against it, breathing heavily as he squeezed his eyes shut. He knew the others were staring at him by now, but it felt like so many more pairs of eyes were trained on him.

“Tord...you okay?” He could hear Matt ask. Just hearing the strawberry blond’s voice made him feel a little more calmer. Tord barely mustered a small shake of his head, gripping onto his sides as he shivered. Cold...why was he cold?

“Do you need some water? You feel dizzy?” Edd hesitantly asked. The Norski slowly opened his eye to see the brunet’s blurry figure getting up. Tom was still seated, but his attention had shifted onto the ginger. Tord opened his mouth to say something, but no words escaped his lips. He was frozen, like a deer in headlights as his friends could do nothing but watch.

The blaring noise on the TV only increased his throbbing headache as Tord’s eyes frantically searched the room for an escape route; he couldn't have another panic attack in front of them.

From the corner of his eye, Tord could see that even Tom was beginning to stand up. God, he had to say **_something_ **. Tord’s brown eyes fell to the ground as he noticed it was gradually getting closer. Wait, why was it getting closer? Was he falling? It didn't feel like it. Why was it getting darker? Oh god, he couldn't see, he couldn't move his body!

The last thing Tord felt before the darkness consumed him was a pair of arms.

* * *

When Tord came to, he realised he was in a hospital bed. Damn it, the doctors must have given him something, he was exhausted. His eyes glanced over to see that he was hooked up to an IV and he had an oxygen mask over his mouth.

_What the hell happened?_

Tord visibly jumped at the sudden deep voice in the room, snapping his head to find the source being Tom. “You passed out on the living room floor.” The Brit stated as he skimmed over a bookshelf that was on the other side of the room. “Edd called an ambulance and well….here we are.”

The 18 year old sat up in the bed and attempted to pull out the needle, carefully watching the brunet’s figure. “W-Where’s Edd…?” He quietly asked, knowing that he would rather be in the comfort of Edd and Matt; Tom made him feel intimidated and on edge most of the time with how aggressive he could get when he was angry.

“They went to grab you some fever medicine since you spiked up. A lot.” Tom added, making his way over to the chair that was situated beside the bed. _They_. Meaning Matt had gone with Edd. “You're lucky Matt was able to bargain with the doctors; they were planning a surgery on that arm of yours.”

Tord glanced over at his arm and noticed the bandages had been a little tampered with. “H-How long was I o-out?” He asked, not daring to meet the other in the eyes.

“Two hours.” Tom shrugged, before grabbing a cloth out of a bowl of water and standing up. His fever was really that serious, huh?

Tord let out a small yelp when the cloth made contact with his skin; it was freezing! The ginger made an attempt to pull Tom’s hand away, but the brunet ignored him.

“Stop moving, I'm trying to help you.” Tom growled, forcing his hand onto Tord’s forehead.

“C-Cold….stop i-it….” Tord whined, letting his arm go limp when the cloth reached a warm temperature as it heated up.

“I don't know what you're planning, but you better watch your back.” Tom snarled, leaving Tord’s side.

The ginger looked up from under the cloth, moving it a little away from his eye so that he could see the other. “I-I'm not planning a-anything!” He argued, watching as the brunet just gave an amused snort.

“Like hell you aren't.” Tom rolled his empty eyes, leaning against the window and peering out of it. “What is it this time, got another robot stashed away somewhere?”

“I d-don’t-”

“You did a really good job at fooling them last time. Just know that they won't give you a third chance if you mess this up.” Tom stated. “And quit pulling on your IV, you're gonna get in a lot of trouble.”

Tord released his grip on the tube and was about to shoot an insult at the other, when the doors swung open and a nurse entered the room. “Ah, you've woken up.” She pointed out with a smile. “Your friends were really worried about you.”

_There's....something familiar about her voice…_

Tord caught a glimpse of Tom's cheeks flashing a light pink colour as he made for the door. “Whatever. I'll be outside.” The 18 year old huffed, shutting the door behind him.

“Do you feel any sort of nausea or dizziness?” The nurse questioned, and it wasn't until all his attention shifted onto her that he recognised her.

“S-Sunny!?” Tord exclaimed, feeling his heart rate rocket. “What are you d-doing here?”

The woman managed a small smile at that as she moved to check the Norski’s heart rate. “This is my part-time job.” was all she replied with. Tord watched her suspiciously, his eyes flickering to the machine that was monitoring his blood pressure. 

“Y-you….didn't t-tell anyone?” The ginger hesitantly asked.

“Of course not. I promised you, didn't I?” Sunny replied with a smile. “Do you not trust me?”

Tord fumbled with the bedsheets as he made sure to avoid all eye contact with her. “I-I don't exactly t-trust most people…” He mumbled. Lifting his head at the sound of a beep, the 18 year old watched as Sunny wrote some things onto a piece of paper. He quickly averted his gaze when she turned around to face him.

“Your blood sugar was really low when your friends brought you here. Mind telling me why?” Sunny queried, observing the ginger as he fiddled with his fingers.

“I-I may have….ignored your a-advice.” Tord murmured.

Sunny gave a small sigh as she gently pressed a few buttons and ripped the page out of the notepad. “Did I or did I not tell you to eat?”

Tord flinched at the tiny bit of harshness in her voice. “Y-You d-did…”

“I've got a few conditions for you if you want to leave this hospital.” Sunny began, handing the male the piece of paper that had the prescriptions on it. “I will let you go, but you have to promise me that you will eat.”

The Norski managed to swallow all of his anxiety before giving the woman a shaky nod, gripping onto the tiny slip of paper. “I p-promise.”

“Alright, this will sting a little, but be strong.” Sunny advised as she made her way towards Tord. The 18 year old was nervous for a brief moment before he realised that she was just pulling out his IV.

Rubbing his palm as he got out of the bed, Tord began to head for the doorknob when he paused at the sound of Sunny giggling quietly to herself. It put him on edge. “W-what’s funny…?”

“Din venn det er ganske søt.” Sunny commented, pointing towards the door. Tord felt his face heat up in embarrassment as he twisted the knob open. He almost jumped 2 feet into the air when his eyes settled on Tom's figure. Out of all seat in the waiting room, the void eyed male just had to sit on the one directly in front of the door. The Brit lifted his head to face Tord as he heaved himself out of the chair.

“What’d she say?” Tom queried, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt.

Tord avoided eye contact with the other as he thought of the conversation, deciding to remove the comment Sunny had pulled. “She s-said I had low blood s-sugar and I n-need to eat m-more..” He quietly answered.

The ginger managed to surpress a flinch when Tom snorted and instead followed the male outside. “Damn right you do.” Tom chastised. “Edd is waiting for us. Said the moment we get home, you're taking the medicine and heading straight to bed.”

Tord lifted his head in confusion as he paused scratching at his palm. “I-Isn’t it still the a-afternoon?”

“Nah, it's 7pm. You were out for a long time.” Tom answered, keeping the door open for the Norwegian. He hesitated in his steps when he couldn't hear Tord’s hurried footsteps behind him. Turning around to face the other, Tom cocked his head at the sight of the ginger leaning all of his weight against the doorway. “You okay?”

Tord just gave him a shaky nod as he gripped at his sides. When the empty eyed teen realised that Tord was shivering, he sighed and slipped off his sweatshirt, leaving himself in a grey shirt. He could tell by the way the Norski flinched that he wasn't expecting Tom to wrap his sweatshirt around his shoulders. “You really need to tell people when you feel cold.” Tom scolded, gently taking Tord’s hand and practically dragging him out to the car park.

“I-I'm fine, you d-don’t need to-” Tord began, attempting to hide his red face as he was dragged out of the hospital.

“Don't deny it, Tord. I can see those goosebumps.” Tom cut him off, blissfully unaware of the blushing mess the ginger had become.

“I-I meant m-my hand…” Tord mumbled, breathing a soft sigh of relief when when the other released him. He caught how Tom gave an awkward cough and hurried his steps when he began to make out Edd’s car in the darkness of the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one bit of Norwegian for this chapter!
> 
> Din venn det er ganske søt = Your friend over there is pretty cute.
> 
> Oohh, tsundere Tom alert! XD  
> I have exams next week, what am I doing with my life?


	11. Level Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord gets his sugar levels up, the four of them go home to sleep.

Everything seemed to go back to normal when the both of them entered the car; Edd just questioned his condition before nodding and driving off. Tord had been left sandwiched in the back seats between Matt and Tom, since the passenger seat had been occupied with all the medications. Taking one small peek into the bag, the Norwegian was relieved to see that they were all liquid supplements.

Tord was so focused on the passing lamp posts that he barely acknowledged the Starbucks cup that Edd was handing him as he drove. The ginger watched with interest at the brunet’s skill to both drive the car and begin to dig through the bag for a straw after he had taken the cup. “Drink up, Tord. We need to get that sugar level up.” was all Edd said, before he focused his attention back onto the road.

The Norski glanced at the frappe in his hands before slowly taking a sip and melting into his seat at the taste. It reminded of when Paul had snuck into his room to give him some hot cocoa. Blinking as he heard something dripping onto the roof of the car, Tord glanced out of the window to realise that it was raining. Ah, how he loved the sound of rain; it was comforting to the ginger.

“Could I have a taste?” Matt gently asked, gesturing to the drink in the other's hands. Tord smiled and held it out for the blond to take and sat up properly once it was out of his hands.

Normally, he would have jumped at Tom's sudden voice speaking up in the silent car, but for some reason he didn't. “Ew, Matt. You don't share a straw with someone.” The empty eyed man said, reaching into the bag for an extra straw.

Matt furrowed his brows in confusion and watched as Tord gently took his straw out of the cup. “Why not? Edd does it all the time.” He asked, nodding at the small _“Guilty as charged.”_ comment that the driver gave.

Tom rolled, or what could only pass as an eye roll, his eyes and tossed a bendy straw in the other's direction. “That's cause Edd gives no fucks. Do you **want** to catch Tord’s fever?” He questioned.

Matt just shrugged as he slipped the extra straw into the cup and took a few sips before handing it back to Tord. Surprisingly, the ginger managed to finish the whole thing and put it in a plastic bag before subconsciously leaning into Matt as he watched the droplets of rain roll down the window. Not like the strawberry blond minded it, in fact, he enjoyed Tord leaning against him; it just meant he could play with the Norski’s hair again.

* * *

A few moments later, Tord was being woken up by Matt, who was gently patting his undamaged cheek. The Norski hummed as he sat up, rubbing his exhausted eyes and listening to the soft rain pattering against the roof of the car.

“We're home!” Matt softly announced, watching as Tord’s attention shifted to the apartment building a little ways apart from them. Edd and Tom had already set out, having taken the medicine inside with them, while the former was busy digging through a box that was beside the front door.

“How are we going to get inside?” Tord asked, gesturing at the fact that he was sick. If he decided to take a stroll in the rain, he was certain he would be bedridden for at least a week, considering how weak his immune system was. Hah...just like him.

Matt simply smiled in response, cocking his head in Edd's direction. The man was currently rushing towards the car with an umbrella in his hands, as the Norski knew where this plan was heading.

Once Edd made it to the car, Matt saluted the both of them before racing to the front door, which Tom was holding open, shielding his hair as he did so.

“You ready for a little race against rain?” Edd queried with a grin as he opened up the umbrella. Tord just gave a shaky nod in response as he got out of the car, clutching tight on the umbrella handle while the other locked his car.

“Run!” The brunet called, smiling as both he and Tord made a dash for the front door, gently supporting the other in case he fell.

Shutting the door behind him and laughing as he placed the umbrella back into the box, Edd faced Tord with a grin. The other seemed just as happy as he lightly patted away the drops of rain off Tom's sweatshirt. “It's a good thing we got in before the storm kicked in.” Edd mused, watching as the clouds darkened and the sky rumbled.

“Can I race you guys to the apartment?” Matt queried, shaking the rain off his clothes as if he were a dog.

“Matt, you know how I am about running after getting wet.” Edd sighed, picking up the bag of medications and lightly wringing his sweatshirt.

The other pouted as he hopped up and down in his spot, clearly impatient. “Please? I promise I'll be careful.” The strawberry blond whined, his frown curving upwards when Edd finally nodded.

“Fine. But if I see any indications that you fell over, you're banned from the cereal.” The brunet spoke, watching as the 18 year old in front of him dashed off without another word.

“We should get going then.” Tom added, jerking a thumb to the elevator.

Edd nodded in response and followed the other down the hall, laughing sheepishly. “I should probably apologise for dumping Ringo on Jake like that.” He admitted.

Tom just frowned and shoved one hand into his pockets, using the other to call for the elevator. “You were freaking out, Edd. Don't be too harsh on yourself.”

Once the elevator arrived, the three of them walked in and Edd pushed the button for the 6th floor, watching as the doors slid shut. The moment they began to move upwards, both Tord and Edd heard a small sneeze to their left and turned around to face Tom.

“Were you seriously walking around in the rain with nothing but a shirt on?” Edd questioned, furrowing his brows in frustration.

“It was just one sneeze, Edd. Calm down!” Tom argued, crossing his arms and turning away from the other. “I gave my hoodie to that stupid commie. He was shivering all over the place and wouldn't tell anyone.”

Perking up when he had been mentioned, Tord slipped the hoodie off his shoulders and held it out for the Brit to take. “Y-you can have it b-back…” He mumbled.

“Keep it, asshole.” Tom grumbled, but his eyes gazed over at the Norski for just a brief moment.

Tord frowned and pushed the fabric into the other's arms, backing away slightly. “I d-don’t need it….I-I'm warm.” He firmly said.

After uttering those words, Tom groaned and snatched his shirt up, slipping it on as the doors opened. Edd noticed the tension between the two and figured he could lighten the situation up. “Heh, Matt isn't up yet.”

It took a moment, but soon Tom was giving off a smirk and Tord was silently laughing into his shoulder. Smiling and sighing in relief, Edd felt he had completed his mission and walked up to apartment 203, gently knocking on it. Tord got out of the elevator and politely stood beside Edd, shuffling a little closer to the brunet when Tom joined them.

The door opened and a slightly older man with blond-ish hair smiled at the faces of Edd and Tom. “Ah, Edd! Everything sorted out?” He asked with a beam in his smile.

The brunet chuckled slightly in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, everything's good. Er, sorry for...you know.”

Jake simply laughed in response and waved a hand dismissively. “Ah, not to worry. Your friend seems alright now.” He said, lightly gesturing towards Tord.

“Yeah, just a little complication came up, but he's fine now.” Edd nodded with a smile.

“I don't think I've seen him around before. Is he new here?” Jake asked, placing a finger to his chin in thought. Both Brits exchanged nervous glances, and Tord averted his gaze to the ground before Tom spoke up.

“He's pretty new. Just moved in from Norway.” He answered, ignoring how the ginger was looking at him in thanks. Tom mumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms again, turning away from the man.

“Norway, huh? I've always wanted to visit there.” Jake sighed, before smiling at the trio. “What's your name, pal?”

Tord shuffled his feet across the floor, despising how all of the attention had shifted onto him. “T-Tord…” He managed to stutter twisting and turning his fingers in an attempt to relieve all the anxiety building up inside of him.

“Well, nice to meet you, Tord. I'm Jake!” The man introduced himself, holding out a hand for the Norski to shake. However, Tord did not return the gesture. Instead, he let his eyes fall to the ground as he gripped at his bandaged arm, surprised to find that Edd had somehow slipped a cardigan onto him while he had blacked out.

The brunet noticed how uncomfortable the other was with the light gesture and politely smiled at Jake. “Uh, he doesn't really do handshakes. Sorry.”

“It's no problem; everyone's got their boundaries.” Jake replied with a shrug as he let his arm fall limp, not noticing how Tord silently sighed a breath of relief when the attention had slipped off of him. “Want me to go get Ringo for you?”

“Yes, thank you.” Edd nodded, watching as he left, gently shutting the door so his apartment wouldn't be seen by any passer-bys. The three of them stood in pindrop silence, awkwardly turning their gaze away from each other so they wouldn't have to engage in a conversation.

Tord could practically feel Tom’s glare on him as he quietly shuffled his feet across the floor, feeling like a child who was being told off by his parents. He let out a soft sigh of relief when Jake returned, this time carrying the grey cat in his arms.

“She was really good while you were gone; kept well behaved and everything.” The man announced with a smile. “Would you like to hold her?”

It took a moment for the ginger to realise that the question had been directed towards him and reluctantly cupped his arms. Jake gently transferred Ringo onto Tord’s arms, the teen carefully stroking her as she purred in satisfaction. 

“Thanks again, Jake.” Edd noted with a grin as he began to dig for some keys in his pockets.

“Anytime, pal.” Jake nodded, moving to shut the door. “Goodnight!”

The brunet gave him a curt wave before Jake closed his door. Tord was occupied with petting Ringo and looked up when Edd moved to unlock the door to Tom's apartment. He couldn't hold back a smile when he heard hurried footsteps rushing up the stairs. “Ugh, I can't _believe_ I let myself get distracted.” Tom and Edd managed a smirk at the sound of a frustrated grumble. “Oh hey, you're up already!”

Tom's eyes slanted as he smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets and facing the other. “Pray tell us what exactly got you distracted?” He questioned, already knowing the answer.

Matt wrung his jacket to get all the water out as he brushed a hand over his partially wet hair. “Who even puts mirrors at the end of every staircase?” He muttered, ignoring how Tom snorted.

“Alright, enough of that.” Edd called with a light chuckle, swinging the door open. “We need to get Tord to bed.”

The Norski stifled a yawn by raising his hand to his mouth, Ringo curling into his shoulder as he did so. He followed after Edd into the apartment, instinctively seating himself on the sofa. Tord watched the brunet pull the medicine out of the bag, his heart settling a little when he saw that it was in fact liquid supplements, feeling glad that his eyes hadn't deceived him

“Are you sure you're okay with sleeping on the sofa?” Edd questioned, watching as the ginger curled up beside Ringo. Tord nodded softly and barely flinched when Edd sighed. “Well then. Matt, you go get some blankets. Tom, go see if you have any spare pillows.”

Tom grunted in response before he went into one of the spare rooms in search for a pillow. To be honest, he was glad that Tord hadn't requested to sleep in his room; now that would have been a disaster. Frowning as he pushed away some wooden planks and grabbed a pillow from one of the shelves, the eyeless Brit felt a sort of…. _pity_ for the other.

“Stop it, he nearly killed you!” Tom grumbled under his breath. He really wished he was drunk right now, he couldn't take the emotions his sober self expressed. Promptly giving himself a slap on the face to smack the pity out of him, Tom shoved the pillow into a cover and headed back to the others.

The man paused at the doorway to the living room to carefully observe from a safe distance. Matt was currently wrapping Tord up in multiple blankets and stroking his hair to calm him down. Edd was busy taking the measurements of the medicine in a plastic spoon and Ringo had occupied herself with the cupcakes they had left.

It seemed….calm without him. Crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe, Tom watched as the scene played out in front of him...feeling a little _**jealous.** _

“You just need two spoonfuls of this and then you can go to sleep, alright?” Edd gently said, placing the medicine bottle onto the table and facing the other.

Tord seemed like he was ready to go to sleep as he tiredly rubbed his eyes; jeez, Matt was really good at soothing him. His brown eyes glanced up to meet the spoon that Edd was holding. “I-I can f-feed myself…” He muttered, hiding his partially red face under the blankets.

“I know you can, but you're still shaking.” Edd pointed out. A few seconds of pondering on his decision and Tord slowly opened his mouth. The medicine slipped down his throat with ease when he swallowed and his tongue fizzed at the sweet taste. Again; it didn't lie about the flavour. Tord needed to know where Edd's pharmacy was.

The second spoon arrived and Tord subconsciously accepted it as he suppressed a yawn. When Edd was done giving him the medicine, the ginger rubbed his eyes once again, lifting his exhausted gaze to face Tom, tensing at the sight of the other. “Here.” was all the Brit uttered before he shoved the pillow behind Tord’s head and stormed off.

Whatever. Tord was too tired to argue. Instead, he just cuddled with the pillow and shut his eyes. Despite having everything he needed that would usually help him fall asleep, the 18 year old just couldn't. He didn't want Edd to fuss over him for longer either, so he just pretended to be asleep...

It took a couple of minutes before Matt ceased stroking his hair and moved away to leave Tord to _‘rest’_. The Norwegian listened to the two shuffle around the room, seemingly cleaning up. Tord wanted to help them, but he knew it was better if he just stayed down. It seemed to be about half an hour later when they left down the hallway, probably to discuss something with Tom. Tord cautiously cracked one eye open to make sure the coast was clear, only facing Ringo who gave him a small meow of concern. Lightly placing a finger on his lips to silence the tabby, Tord’s eyes trailed over towards the ceiling as he sighed shakily.

_You don't deserve any of this._

He knows.

Edd and Matt were too kind for their own good, Tord was actually afraid he would kill them. Tom still seemed a bit iffy about the idea of having Tord in the apartment, which the Norski completely understood. But he was making sort of an effort to get along with the ginger, which still didn't make sense to him. Tord quickly changed his position and shut his eyes when footsteps began to make their way over towards the living room; Edd was probably checking on him before he left.

_He doesn't need a liar like you._

Tord did his best to ignore the voice and instead focused his attention on what the others were talking about. But the voice was speaking the truth; Tord was continuing to lie to them even after Edd gave him a second chance.

He really was the scum of the earth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I am not a certified doctor, so I don't know if Starbucks actually helps.
> 
> Tord finally met Jake, and now he's having an existential crisis on the sofa. :D Tom is definitely the definition of a tsundere here, but I'm just wondering when I should make him trust Tord.
> 
> For those of you who are wondering, when Tord passed out, Edd completely flipped and Matt had to carry Tord to the car. Edd then basically chucked Ringo at Jake before dashing off to the hospital with the others. So yeah, pretty embarrassing.
> 
> I'll be posting the next chapter today too, so get ready for that as well.


	12. This Chapter Can Go 2 Different Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord can't fall asleep so he resides to the balcony, and him and Tom have a short late night chat.

Edd grabbed the bag that was beside the door and scooped Ringo into his arms before turning to look at Tom. “Tell us if he gets up in the middle of the night, alright?” He asked.

“Fine, fine. Whatever.” Tom sighed in annoyance as he placed a hand over his face. “Just make sure you get some sleep.”

Matt grinned as he lifted his discarded jacket that was still soaking wet. “Uh oh. Edd, you'd better run; his inner mother hen has activated!” He teased with a small chuckle.

“Roger that!” Edd laughed, pulling the door open. He hesitated when a hand placed itself on his shoulder and turned around to face Tom.

“I'm serious, Edd.” Tom said, gazing down at the floor. “You don't get enough sleep when you're stressed.”

Edd's hazel orbs glanced between Tom and the sleeping Norwegian before giving his friend a soft smile. “I'll be fine, Tom. I promise. Get some sleep too.” He replied, leaving the apartment along with Matt.

Watching as the door clicked shut, Tom sighed and slowly made his way over to Tord. For several minutes, he just stood there as if he was waiting for the other to suddenly leap forward and strangle him. No, it seemed that he was out cold. Tom rolled his eyes at his dumb fear and lifted a hand as slowly as he could, freezing when Tord flinched. Was he actually awake? God, _he was gonna die, Edd was gonna die, Matt was gonna die, everyone was gon-_

Tom relaxed slightly when the other just rolled to the side of the sofa. Dammit Tom, stay calm you fucking idiot! He waited a few seconds for Tord to get comfortable in his new sleeping position before gently settling his hand over the ginger’s forehead; still pretty hot. As the Brit walked off to grab a wet cloth, he grumbled lightly under his breath; jeez he was so fucking insecure. One thing for sure was that Tord couldn't be faking a fever, that's impossible to do. It still angered Tom that he was the one that had to keep watch overnight. He would have let Tord’s fever worsen if it wasn't for Edd's kind hearted soul.

The eyeless man returned to the living room and carefully placed the cloth over the other's forehead, this time only getting a wince from Tord at the coldness. Sighing as he straightened his posture, Tom shoved his hands into his pockets and silently watched the man sleep. If he ignored the cars that were zooming past, Tom could just about hear Tord panting under his breath; chest issues.

If, for even a brief second, Tom looked past the fact that the Norski was a wanted man and had almost killed him and his friends; Tord actually looked….pretty peaceful. The light rise and fall of his chest as his short breaths cursed him, as well as the light flush of his face made him seem like a regular person with a fever.

Something warmed inside of Tom the longer he stared at the other before he rolled his empty eyes and clicked the lights off, leaving to his bedroom. Despite that, Tord was still a murderer. Despite that, Tom knew he was waiting for the right moment to attack. Yet despite all of that, Tom couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Ugh, feelings. Tom hated it when he was 100% sober. Slipping his hoodie off and slinging it over the radiator, the 18 year old slipped into his bed and quickly checked the time on his phone. Soon after that, Tom grew limp as he finally succumbed to slumber.

* * *

Tord hesitantly sat up in the sofa as he held the now warm cloth in his hands, attentively listening for Tom walking around. The apartment seemed to get dead silent which put the ginger on edge. However, soft snores began to fill the hallway as he gave the smallest smile; Tom was asleep alright.

For about an hour, Tord stayed in that position, holding the blankets tighter whenever he shivered. His eyes were focused on the clock that was hanging over the TV as he listened to the ticks of the second hand.

_Tick…tick….tick….tick….tick._

It would have driven him mad, if it wasn't for the fact that the rain was pouring outside.

_Tick….tick….tick….tick._

His eyes finally fell from the clock and onto the billowing curtains to his left; Tom had forgotten to shut the window.

_Tick…tick...tick...tick...tick._

Tord finally slipped off the sofa, stumbling for balance as he felt slightly dizzy. It soon subsided and he made his way towards the window, clutching the blankets to his body. When he pulled the curtains aside to shut the windows, he was a little surprised to see a balcony. A few boxes of Smirnoff lay at the side and there was a small roof that was shielding the small room from the rain.

Slowly seating himself by the rails, Tord stuck his legs through the bars and watched as they dangled in the air. It was almost mesmerising how his legs were just dangling like that at such a height. He wondered if he could…. **no**. Edd was giving him a second chance, he shouldn't screw things up.

_But that is what you do after all. You're a screw up._

Tord let out a soft sigh as he leaned his head against a box, watching as the rain poured over the town and deciding to ignore the voice. The rain was calming to listen to, yet the 18 year old still couldn't sleep; he guessed he would have to stay here and wait until daylight approached. At least the ticking of the clock wasn't annoying him.

Tord was aware he had insomnia; he would get it some nights and others he could rest. Gazing down at the cloth in his hands, the ginger could feel his head begin to burn up and held it out so it could catch some of the cold rain. Once it seemed cool enough, Tord retreated his arm to wring it and placed it over his head, shutting his eyes. If he couldn't sleep, at least he could listen to the rain all night.

He must have been sitting there for a few hours, because he could faintly hear Tom shuffling around in the apartment. Was it morning already? No, it was still dark out. Maybe Tom had midnight snacks? Tord listened as the footsteps began to get closer to where he was sat, but he didn't make the effort to escape.

"What are you doing up?" Tom asked, rubbing his cold arms. It was annoying him how Tord almost never slept and the fact that he actually had to wake up to check on the commie infuriated him.

Tord’s brown eyes just barely slipped from the clouds to watch a skyscraper in the distance; the lights were hypnotising to him. "....C-Couldn't sleep…" He murmured, curling deeper into the blankets. The ginger listened as Tom pushed some boxes aside to sit beside him.

"Couldn't, or didn't try?" The Brit grumbled, slipping his legs through the bars and leaning against them. The other stayed silent and the silence continued for another half an hour. Tom was so invested with the rolling thunder that he raised a eyebrow when the Norski spoke up, his empty eyes turning to face Tord.

"W-what are _you_ d-doing up?" The ginger quietly retorted, shuffling away from the other in case he decided to snap at him. He was quite surprised when the Brit simply let out a silent chuckle.

Tom let his gaze turn back to the sky as he responded. "Well, Edd told me to keep a close eye on you." He answered, tapping his fingers against the metal railing and shutting his eyes. "First check up of the night and you're already on the balcony."

The Norwegian gently bit on his lips as he pondered on what he wanted to say. He needed to know the answer, yet he didn't feel comfortable asking it. Tord settled on staying quiet and leaned further into the boxes. He didn't notice Tom's attention shifting onto him until he opened his mouth to speak.

"You know sleeping on a box will hurt your neck, right?" Tom called. Why was he even concerned about the dumb commie? Tord just gave a small shrug and seemingly ignored Tom, to which the other just grumbled and turned away. "Just to let you know, Matt and I have to go somewhere tomorrow. You hurt Edd and I'll personally kill you. Understand?"

Tord had to bite back a sarcastic laugh at that comment; he would give it anything to die. Shutting his eyes as he focused on the sound of rain and pulling tighter on the blankets, the ginger mumbled a response under his breath. "Okay…" 

_At least he would be with Edd…._

* * *

Daylight finally approached and Tord was occupying himself by watching TV. He had seated himself on the floor, since Tom had hogged the sofa and was laying on all of it. He had fallen asleep roughly three hours ago so Tord was left to stay up on his own.

Lifting his head at the sound of the front door being unlocked, Tord watched as Edd and Matt strolled in, the latter carrying a bag of spare clothes. "Good morning Tord!" The strawberry blond chirped, slipping his shoes off and entering the living room. Tord silently waved at him before his brown eyes returned to focus on the TV.

When Edd entered the room, he let out a groan at the sight of Tom sleeping on the sofa and went over to go wake him by poking him in the cheek. "Tom, get up. You gotta go." The brunet attempted, frowning when his friend simply swatted his finger away. "Fine. I'm giving you exactly twelve seconds to get up before I toss you off the sofa."

Tom begrudgingly sat up, rubbing his tired eyes as he frowned at the sight of both Edd and Matt in his apartment. "What did I tell you two about waltzing into my apartment without letting me know about it?" He tiredly grumbled, getting off the sofa to go into the bathroom.

Matt had joined Tord on the floor and the two were both enjoying the show together. The Norski still seemed to be wrapped up in the blankets from last night, so he might still be cold. Meanwhile, Edd had occupied himself with shutting the balcony doors, partially wondering why they were even open in the first place. "Have you picked out your outfit yet?" He called, listening to the running water in the bathroom as Tom brushed his teeth.

"Uh, I was gonna go with a shirt and some trou-" Tom began, wincing the moment Edd’s shrill voice filled his ears.

"Tom, you're going to a formal event! You can't just go out like that!" Edd whined from down the hall. The empty eyed male simply smirked as he rinsed his mouth and returned to the living room.

Leaning against the doorframe, Tom cocked an eyebrow at the brunet with a teasing smirk. "Looks like I'm not the only mother hen in this group." He smiled, chuckling when the other rolled his eyes.

"Keep an eye on Tord while he takes his medicine." Edd announced, grabbing Matt by the arm and dragging him down the hallways. "Matt and I are gonna find you something to wear."

Tom seemed repulsed at the idea, but went along with it and shrugged in response; nothing he could do about it. Once Edd got started on something, there was no way to stop him. The Brit’s gaze fixated on the Norwegian, who was squinting his eyes at the medicine bottle. Now that he thought about it, Matt did say something about Tord possibly being partially blind; and Tom _had_ noticed those tints of grey in the other's usually brown eyes.

"Hey commie." He called, noticing how Tord barely jumped that time. Eh, whatever. Correcting his posture and slipping his hands out of his pockets, Tom lifted up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Nervously placing the medicine bottle onto the coffee table beside him, Tord focused his attention on the other. Had Tom known this whole time!?

_Of course he did. You're so pathetic, you didn't even **try** to hide it from him._

Pushing that voice to the back of his mind where it wouldn't bother him, Tord focused on the fingers and tried to see past the multiple black spots in his vision. People typically started with four, didn't they? Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, maybe he would get it right out of pure luck. "F-Four…?" He quietly answered, aware that he was probably wrong. Back at the base after the incident, Paul had given him several exams and diagnosed he was mostly blind in his right eye. Tord could just barely make out objects in his right field of vision.

The Brit sighed as he made his way over to Tord, kneeling beside him and taking the medicine into his hands. "You're hopeless…" He muttered, unscrewing the cap and pouring the advised medicine onto the plastic spoon. "Open your mouth."

Tord barely managed to hide his embarrassed blush at the sudden command and shuffled a little bit back from the other. _How was Tom comfortable with feeding him?_ It didn't make any sense. Tom seemed to have caught onto the ginger’s embarrassment as he too began to grow a red flush over his cheeks. "Look, the sooner we get this over and done with this, the better. Now open your damn mouth."

Shutting his eyes and reluctantly opening his mouth, Tord fully expected the Brit to shove the spoon down his throat and choke him. he was surprised when Tom gently placed the spoon into his mouth and even gave him time to swallow the medicine before giving him the second dose. It was actually quite….nice.

Once Tom was done with giving him his morning dosage, he lifted his hand to check the Norski’s temperature. "T-Tom, I-I.."

"Not a word." The 18 year old simply said, feeling the other's temperature. Slightly warm; Tord was getting better. Tom moved away from Tord to put the medicine in the bag as the ginger watched in curiosity. Tom seemed to be embarrassed from the whole ordeal, but he kept a stoic expression as he stood up. The silence between the two was almost deafening that the Norski let out a soft sigh when Edd skidded into the living room, Matt following suite.

"Wear this!" Edd announced, lifting up a dark blue tuxedo and a white shirt; successfully making Tom's face darken.

"I am **not** wearing that." Tom grumbled, snatching the clothing from the other and slinging it over his shoulder. "Tuxedos are fucking itchy."

Matt giggled as he held up his own suit; velvet red in color and a lovely black shirt. "You're going to have to unless you prefer wearing that shirt from three days ago." He called, fixing his hair with a smile as he watched Tom storm into the bathroom to take a shower.

Tord blinked at the conversation before lifting his brown eyes to gaze up at Edd. "W-Where are they g-going?" He questioned, slightly surprised to know that Tom even owned a tuxedo.

Edd gazed down at the other, realising he was still wearing the three layers of blankets from last night. "Oh, just some business party." He replied with a shrug. "They both got jobs so we could pay the funds to rebuild our house."

Tord flinched at the mention of the house, his eyes trailing towards the ground as he clawed at the bandages. He bit the inside of his cheeks in an attempt to stop crying, but to no avail. Matt noticed he was crying and dropped his suit onto the sofa to comfort him. "Hey, hey, it's alright." He gently hushed.

Gasping for air as he wiped at his tears, Tord couldn't look them in the eyes. "I'm s-sorry…" He whimpered. Edd frowned in sympathy as he sat beside the Norwegian, wrapping his arms around Tord’s shoulders to console him.

"It's okay, we forgive you." The brunet whispered into the fabric of the other's shirt. "I hope you know that we care for you, Tord. We can help, just please don't blame yourself for everything…."

Shortly after Tord’s attack had subsided, him and Edd were watching TV to distract themselves while Matt got changed into his suit. "How do I look?" He called, stepping into the living room and posing like a model.

"Dang, look at you!" Edd cooed, clapping his hands at his friend. Tord giggled in response and smiled at the strawberry blond, giving him a thumbs up.

"You look r-really good!" He praised, to which Matt bowed teasingly, making Tord blush slightly in response. The taller of the group sat beside them and readjusted his buttons, dusting the collar a little.

"I was a bit afraid it wouldn't look good on me." Matt admitted, laughing when Edd gently punched his shoulder.

"Oh shut up, you look good in _everything_." The brunet grinned. Tord smiled at the interaction and was about to face the TV when he heard the shower door unlocking; Tom was finished with his shower. The soft tapping of leather shoes echoed across the hallway before Tom finally poked his head through the door.

"Matt, are we going or what?" The male called, pushing a hand into one of the trouser pockets as he stifled a yawn with the other.

The mentioned male smiled and bounded up, grabbing his gloves off the table. "Yup!" He chirped, rushing over towards the door to put his shoes on. Tord watched the eyeless man from a distance, feeling his face heat up at the sight of Tom in a suit; god, he looked like a _gentleman._

The way he looked slender in that button up tuxedo, the rose pinned to the chest pocket and the collar was stunning. Tord took a moment to himself to let his brown eyes take in Tom's body like this, wishing he had seen something like this sooner. And of course instead of a black tie, Tom was wearing his signature checkered tie from high school. His hair was still spiked up as usual, but it seemed glossier. Was that hair gel? Damn, those black fingerless gloves he was wearing was making Tord all warm inside and he didn't even know why.

"Remember not to lose your temper; it's a party, not a bar." Edd scolded, standing up and fixing the position of Tom's tie and the collar.

Tom just rolled his eyes in response with a small smirk before he joined Matt at the front door. Edd smiled as he scooped up a few things, gently helping Tord onto his feet and getting out the keys. "Come on, Ringo's been waiting for you." Edd smiled, following the two out the door.

The ginger watched the door for a few moments before hurrying up to follow them, ditching the blankets and quickly slipping his shoes on. Tord watched as Tom and Matt briefly waved towards Edd before the elevator doors shut. The brunet turned towards the other with a smile and gently took him by the hand. "You ready to spend a day with little ol Edd here?" He questioned with a grin.

Nodding in response, Tord gave a soft chuckle at his...friend's _(?)_ antics. "Of c-course!" He replied, letting the other drag him into his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, I _could_ have stretched out the balcony scene but imagine this. You're sitting on a balcony beside the very person who is a known murderer, has blown up your home and almost killed your neighbour. Would you be able to hold a conversation? Nope.
> 
> Anyway, next chapter is going to be wholesome, and then shit goes down after that one. Just saying, make sure you have your ticket for the feels train.


	13. Draw Your Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edd and Tord have the whole day to themselves, so they take advantage of that.

Shutting the door behind him and watching as the Norski took a look around his apartment room, Edd smiled as he placed the bag of medications on top of the bookshelf. "Like it so far?" He called, kicking his shoes off by the front door and making it down the hall.

Tord peeked from the bedroom, seeming to be enjoying the views. "Mhm!" He hummed in response, gently shutting the door to join Edd in the hallway. "S-Sorry...I got t-too excited.." He muttered, fiddling with his bandages. The brunet gazed down to see that they needed to be changed and gave a soft smile.

"You don't have to apologise, Tord." Edd reminded. "How about we get you cleaned up, eh?"

Tord’s brown eyes followed the other's gaze until he met with his bandages. Oh right. He was not looking forward to the excruciating pain. Edd caught onto his anxious frame and scooped his cat into his arms. "Here, you can pet Ringo while I'm treating you. Sound good?" He offered.

Taking the grey tabby into his arms, the Norwegian curled into her fur, feeling slightly calmer already. "A-Alright.." Tord mumbled, running a hand across Ringo's head. Edd nodded in satisfaction and made his way to the spare room, digging through the shelves for the first aid kit.

"Okay, get set in the toilet. I'll be there in a few." The brunet called, returning his focus to the shelves when Tord moved towards the bathroom.

Once he was seated on the lid, Tord subconsciously stroked Ringo as his blank stare was focused on the white tiled floor. He kept thinking about how nice they were being to him; hell, even Tom was trying to get along with him. But Tord simply couldn't understand why.

_They just want you to look good for your mugshot in the news._

No, that wasn't it. The voice needed to shut up for once. Edd wouldn't do such thing, he was the one trying the most to help him.

_Face it, Tord. They don't care about you. I mean, who would give a shit about the person who practically murdered millions without a second thought?_

"Shut up." The ginger growled, barely hearing the small meow Ringo gave him, nor feeling her miniature tongue licking his palm in an attempt to snap him out of it.

Edd and Matt forgave him, Tord was sure of it. Why else would they physically touch him and comfort him during his panic attacks?

_While that is true, you still aren't certain about Tom. He's obviously planning to turn you in ay some point, whether they like it or not._

Shut up, shut up, shut up, shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutup-

_I'm right, Tord. I always am._

Letting out a gasp for air, Tord finally broke out of his thoughts. God, how long was he out of it? His vision blurred at the corners and he wasn't sure why until he raised a hand to rub his eyes; he was crying. Fuck, he was so pathetic!

Tord finally felt the sensation of fur gently rubbing at his neck and lowered his hand to pet Ringo. The sound of her quietly purring into his ears calmed his rapidly beating heart. He needed to breathe.

_Come on, Tord. Just like Paul taught you. In…._

His brown eyes trailed down to face the grey tabby as he inhaled slowly, ignoring the burning pain in his chest. If he just tried, it would go away.

_And out…_

Shutting his eyes as he let out a shaky breath, Tord’s fingers carefully traced Ringo's neck, feeling her soft warm fur under his fingers.

It took him several minutes to finally break out of the attack, and when he did, Tord gave the tabby a scratch behind the ears as a reward for helping him. The ginger flinched at the hushed voice by the door and snapped his head up to face Edd, who was carrying a first aid kit.

"Are you better now?" The brunet gently asked, fiddling with the objects in his hand. Slowly giving the 18 year old a nod in response, Tord wiped the tears out of his vision as Ringo licked at his cheek to make sure he was really okay.

Edd gave the Norski a sympathetic smile as he kneeled down in front of him and opened the box. "She's gotten used to helping people through their panic attacks, so she knows when one is happening." He announced, getting out the necessary items.

Tord gave a distracted hum to the other as he gave the grey tabby a thankful smile. "She's a g-good girl…" He mumbled under his breath, holding his arm out for Edd to tend to.

The brunet chuckled as he just about heard what the other said and gently unwrapped the bandages. "She really is. I'll bet she'll want a treat after this; she loves it when I do that." He agreed, getting started on the antibiotics.

Gritting his teeth in pain, Tord felt slightly embarrassed that Edd had heard him. He just prayed to god that it would be over soon; he always hated this procedure.

"I know it hurts a lot, but just bear with me okay?" Edd gently said, brushing the cotton over the wounds. "I'm trying the fastest I can." The other simply gave him a small whimper in response as the Brit sighed.

Once Edd had gotten the antibiotics over and done with, he grabbed the new bandages and some gauze. Tord had curled into Ringo for support since his arm was still stinging like hell, so the only thing visible to the brunet was his tuft of hair as well as his signature hair horns. Edd still wondered to this day how the Norwegian even managed to keep his hair up like that. Lots of hair gel?

Never mind, Edd could find out later. Lifting his gaze to briefly face Tord, he gave a reassuring smile as he tied the bandages to his arm. "There we go, all done." He announced, making sure they wouldn't fall off before moving back. He watched as Tord slowly lifted his head, Ringo still curled in his shoulder, to gaze at the newly replaced bandages.

"T-Thanks…." He murmured, letting his grip loosen and allowing the tabby to pounce off his lap and out the bathroom. Edd nodded in response as he places the kit atop the shelves and held out a hand for the Norwegian to take. Slowly and gently helping Tord onto his feet, the brunet lightly jerked a thumb in the direction of the bedroom.

"You wanna hang out now?" Edd offered, watching as the ginger shuffled his feet across the floor before he nodded in response. "Come on, I got lots of things planned for us to do."

Tord lifted his head up just in time to catch Edd’s figure disappearing down the hallway before he followed after him, his brown eyes carefully scanning his surroundings in case he trampled over the grey tabby. The Norski paused briefly at the doorway of the bedroom to gaze at Edd, who was eagerly digging through the cupboards for things to use. Tord could recognise the many sketchbooks sprawled out on the carpeted floor, as well as several boxes of crayons and two rubbers; now he knew what Tom had meant by he piled up on art supplies. Edd's love for art was admirable; he always had a sketchbook on his lap, ready to sketch whatever came to mind. There were also two notebooks and two ball point pens by the Brit’s feet.

Edd perked up when he noticed Tord by the door and beckoned for him to come in with a smile. "Sorry about the mess, I was looking for your present." He announced, returning his gaze towards the cupboards and pushing aside some old sketchbooks. Tord blinked in surprise as he eased himself onto the soft floor, crossing his feet and facing Edd.

"M-My...present…?" He slowly questioned. Edd had bought him something? But why would he? The only gift Tord was worth was being put down, he deserved to die. He ruined so many lives without another thought, he killed so many people, so many children, his own friends, his-

Edd's small hum of confirmation snapped the 18 year old out of his rapid train of thoughts, his vision focusing on the brunet’s figure as he placed aside some old canvases. "Yup. When you told me you were coming home, I knew I had to get you a new sketchbook. You know, with how boring work must have gotten." Tord noticed how Edd had lowered his voice at the last sentence, as he felt a string being tugged at his heart.

While Tord had been planning to conquer the world with two of his best men, Edd had been running around stores to find the perfect sketchbook for his 'friend'. It made the Norwegian feel guilty; during his time in the army, he had never once thought about his friends due to him being consumed by power. His friends, on the other hand, had him on their minds ever since he left; what was Tord working as? Did he enjoy his job? Did he find a new hobby?

Though after the incident with the robot, Tord knew he should have never left. All the time he spent in his base was mostly reminiscing about the good old days and briefly cursing at himself for being the worst friend in the world; none of them deserved him for the piece of dirt he was.

Tord's brown eyes lifted from the rug to look at Edd when he let out a triumphant cry. "Found it!" The brunet grinned, scooting over to the Norski's side and gently placing the object into his lap. Gazing down to look at it, Tord let a small gasp escape his lips at the sight of the sketchbook; it was his favourite brand. A red ribbon was tied around the book, a bow placed at the front and a few pencils shoved into said bow.

"Sorry about all the dust. I couldn't exactly clean it after the, uh...you know. You're pretty lucky I managed to hide it from Tom." Edd gently said. "Do you...like it?"

The ginger let his fingers gently brush the rims of the book as he felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. He couldn't believe that Edd actually kept his present even after all those horrible things he did to them. "Du er så søtt…" He mumbled, wiping at the tears.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion at what the other had said, Edd shuffled closer to Tord. "What was that?" He gently asked, watching as the Norski looked up to face him in confusion. It took a few seconds for it to click into Tord's mind, and when it did, he had become an apologising mess.

"Ah, that w-was Norwegian. I'm so sorry, I-I shouldn't have spoken i-in it, you don't even understand me!" Tord stuttered, his fingers digging into the spine of the book.

Edd shook his head and instead gave the ginger a comforting smile. "Hey, it's okay if you speak your own language sometimes, I don't mind. Really." He quickly said, letting his shoulders relax when Tord released his grip on the book. "But it would be pretty useful to know some Norwegian. We might even plan a trip to Norway some time…"

Slowly lifting his head up to meet with the Brit’s hazel eyes, Tord picked his words carefully before he spoke. "I could….teach you? I-If you want, that is."

"Really? You wouldn't mind?" Edd questioned with a grin. Oh, how he couldn't wait to prank Tom and Matt by speaking fluent Norwegian all of a sudden; their reactions would be priceless!

Tord just shrugged in response and dragged one of the notebooks closer to him, flicking through it to make sure it was empty. His fingers wrapped around the pen as he clicked it on, feeling it brush against the new paper as he wrote down the Norwegian alphabet. Tord wouldn't admit it to him, but Edd looked so cute patiently sitting beside him while his eyes were eagerly scanning each letter.

Once he was done writing it up, he let out a small giggle at Edd's confusion as he highlighted each vowel in green. "In English, you only have five vowels, correct?" Tord questioned, quite surprised he hadn't stuttered once in that sentence; he had warmed up to Edd's company.

"Mhm." Edd hummed, nodding in response to the question. He was confused as to why there were three extra letter written down.

"Well, in Norwegian, we have nine." Tord said, gesturing to the previously highlighted letters. "You already know about five of them, so I'll teach you the other four. First one is y."

* * *

"I think I just need to practice some more." Edd nodded with a small laugh. He and Tord had laughed the hour away with Edd's hilarious attempts at pronouncing the extra vowels. "Could you write down a few greetings in Norwegian?"

Of course, Tord couldn't say no to that so he picked up the pen once more, writing eleven of the most common greetings. He did know some slightly vulgar ones, but decided to stray away from those. After all, if Edd did decide to take a vacation to Norway, he didn't want the brunet to get people angry.

_God morgen = good morning_   
_God ettermiddag = good afternoon_   
_God kveld = good night_   
_Lenge siden sist! = long time no see_   
_Hva skjer? = what's up?_   
_Hvordan går det med deg? = how are you?_   
_Hvordan har du hatt det? = how have you been?_   
_Hvordan er dagen din? = how is your day?_   
_Det er hyggelig å se deg igjen = it's nice to see you again_   
_Det er hyggelig å møte deg. = it's nice to meet you_

Once he had finished writing it up, Tord lifted his head to gaze over at Edd. The other was currently sketching in his newest sketchbook, seeming to be occupied, so the Norski gently placed the notebook onto the floor. It didn't seem that Edd had noticed, as he continued to sketch, the soft sound of the pencil brushing across the paper soothing Tord. The two stayed like that for a while, Edd sketching intently and Tord curled up on the floor as he stroked Ringo.

After completing several sketches, Edd didn't feel like drawing anymore so he lifted his head to check what the other was doing. Tord seemed occupied with a scrapbook from the past, smiling lightly at all the photos. Shutting his sketchbook and crawling over to the Norwegian’s side, Edd sat in front of him and made sure there was a fair amount of space between them before speaking up.

"Tord?" Edd gently called, watching as the ginger raised his head to look at him. "Can I ask you a question?"

Tord squirmed in his spot as his fingers curled around the book, his stomach twisting into several knots. "Sure…" He quietly replied.

Edd paused to look at the Norski’s body language over, a bit surprised to what it was displaying; fear. Tord was scared that Edd was going to find out something. He knew the long silence wasn't doing Tord any good either as he was frantically fiddling with his fingers. "Why haven't you run away yet?" The question was out, and there was no taking it back.

It hung in the air for quite some time as Tord kept his eyes facing anywhere besides the brunet in front of him. It was true, Tord could have climbed out the window at any point in the night while the others were asleep, yet he didn't. He could have returned to base and made sure Paul and Patryk weren't worried about him, yet he didn't. His own actions were confusing him; Tord was sure the others felt uneasy with him around, but why hadn't he made a break for it? The ginger let out a small sad laugh as he raised a hand to rub his pained eye, flinching when Edd gently pulled it away. "You don't even trust me completely." He mumbled, residing with fiddling with his bandages instead.

Edd gave a small nod and a bitter smile at the statement. "I do not." He replied. "But I know you're at least trying to set things right."

The other shakily sighed and leaned his head against the bedpost, feeling his heart pump rapidly against his chest. "I...don't feel comfortable sharing it with you at the moment.." Tord knew he gave the dumbest excuse you could ever give in the history of excuses, but Edd played along with it, giving a hum in understanding.

"Just promise me you'll give us a proper explanation when you're ready." Edd lamented, lifting his hand and holding up his pinky finger. Tord was slightly taken aback by the gesture, but slowly raised his bandaged pinky finger as the brunet gently interlocked the two together.

"I-I promise." Tord muttered, feeling his heart grow heavy. Who's to say he would keep that promise? He's broken many promises before, so why was this any different?

A small meow by the doorway broke the touching moment as Edd let a giggle escape his lips at the sight of Ringo patting the floor with her paws. "Come on, let's get some snacks." He called, helping Tord up and making his way into the kitchen.

Tord watched the door with a saddened expression, gazing down to look at his pinky. He had made a promise to none other than Edd. He...had to keep it. Lifting his head up in determination, Tord headed for the kitchen to eat with the brunet. Sorry old habits, but you have to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Du er så søtt = You are so sweet
> 
> So now we got Edd and Tord in one sitting, and the two actually enjoy the same thing; art. Of course, the latter only learnt it due to his....ahem, books, so Edd took it upon himself to teach the other how to draw.


	14. Heavy Intake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom and Matt return from their business party, and the group arrange for a sleepover at Edd's apartment.

Grumbling to himself as he pushed the button to call for the elevator, Matt rolled his eyes at the currently drunk male he was helping to stand. Of course, sometime during the speech, Tom had managed to sneak past security and down several glasses of wine. Now he was drunk out of his mind to the point that Matt had to literally carry him to the car. That was embarrassing to say the least, all the girls there were swooning at him, saying he was taking proper care of his boyfriend. His face had turned into a deep shade of red at the word and slammed the car door, muttering the destination to the driver in embarrassment. "Can you ever go to a social event without getting completely **smashed**?" The strawberry blond growled through gritted teeth, as he shoved Tom into the elevator when it arrived and pushed the button for floor 6.

The brunet chuckled to himself as the button lit up in a green color and the doors span in two sickening directions. "S-sociallissing's frr loserrs…" He mumbled under his breath, letting his body lean against the wall of the elevator once it began moving. To be honest, Tom hadn't drank much since Tord returned, so a business party served with tables of alcohol sounded like a ticket to ASDFLand. And the best part about it was that he wouldn't have to look after the shitty commie. Woohoo!

The disappointment on Matt's face, however, was enough to wipe the goofy grin off of his face. Him and Edd were always concerned with the amount of alcohol he drank daily, and it hurt when Matt would often give him personal checkups, simply because he was worried about Tom.

The brunet let out a grunt when the elevator doors opened and Matt forcefully dragged him by the wrist. He watched as the strawberry blond fumbled with his key chain, searching for the spare key to Edd's apartment with one hand, while using the other hand to support the Brit. After what seemed like an eternity, Matt finally found the key and pushed it in, twisting the lock and swinging the door open. Tom could barely see into the bedroom as the lights were off, and let out another grunt when Matt shoved him onto the sofa, curling into the cushions and shutting his eyes as he listened to their conversation.

"How was the party?" Edd questioned, straining a smile as his hazel eyes flickered between his two friends.

Matt gave a properly enunciated sigh as he folded his arms in disappointment, pointedly glaring at Tom. "He got drunk, again. And at the beginning of the party too." He mumbled, brushing a hand through his hair. "Anyway, what have you and Tord been up to?"

Tom felt his eye twitch at the mention of the Norwegian, and cracked one eye open to face him. Tord was fiddling with a book, and by the looks of it; it was a sketchbook (when the hell had Edd managed to get out of the house and buy a sketchbook for that commie without him noticing?), while he glanced upwards at Matt. His legs were folded behind him and a mug of hot cocoa sat by his side. Edd's phone was in between the two and it was currently playing _Snail's House_ music, the artist's drawing playlist.

"Oh, we were just drawing. You know, to keep us calm and stuff." Edd nonchalantly replied, lifting his mug into his hands and taking a sip from it, pausing the music as they had stopped drawing. "We watched a couple movies, played cards before returning to draw. It was...nice."

Raising an eyebrow at the hushed tone of voice the brunet had at the last sentence, Matt perched himself on the arm of the sofa, ignoring how Tom slurred for him to get off. He watched as Edd bashfully turned away from him to focus his attention onto Ringo, and Matt understood why.

The night before, they had all had a discussion about where to place Tord while they were away. Matt had suggested he stay with Edd, to which the cartoonist immediately declined. The strawberry blond assumed that Edd was probably just surprised that Tord hadn't tried to do anything to him and at how much fun he had with the Norski.

A smile placed itself onto Matt's cheeks as he raised his hands to clap, catching both of their attention. Tom hadn't so much as moved, so he was probably passed out from all the alcohol he took in. "Alright, now we need to find some sleeping arrangements." Matt announced with a grin.

Tord's head turned to look at him in surprise, almost dropping the mug he was holding. "S-sleeping ar-arrangements?" He echoed in confusion, arching his brow a little when Edd also looked at the blond in shock. The moment those words escaped his lips, his mind and heart began to work overdrive as he spun into a panic. There wasn't enough space and there was only one extra bed. He couldn't sleep with Tom, who knew what he'd try to do? What if Tord lost it and accidentally killed him? Oh god, they'd never forgive him after that. He'd have to...fuck, he'd-he'd have to-

The ginger visibly flinched when Edd placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled away almost immediately. The Brit gave him a sympathetic smile and let his hand go limp in his lap, making a mental note not to touch Tord without his consent. "We can all sleep here in the living room." Edd proposed, getting up onto his feet and placing his hands on his hips as he scanned the area of the living room. "Since Tom has taken up the room on the sofa, I'll go get the mattresses from my room."

Edd left the room after that, leaving Matt and Tord to each other. The Norski shakily lifted his mug and attempted to finish it, offering to clean the dishes when Matt got up to do them. "I doubt Tom is gonna be getting up any time soon, so you can relax." The strawberry blond called once he noticed how tense the other looked as he cleaned up near the sofa.

Hesitating for just a moment, Tord listened out for the soft snores of the brunet, letting out a small sigh of relief once they were present. "So, how was it with Edd?" Matt gently queried, watching as the ginger scooped up the books and pens off the floor, and placing them into the drawers of the coffee table.

Tord let his eyes lull over the digital clock on the wall, realising it was well past eleven, and thought back to the day's events. In all honesty, he'd never had that much fun ever since that day he left. It was enjoyable whenever he and Edd would get agitated over the rules of cards, before they gave in and just shuffled the deck and played snap. He loved it when Ringo pranced around on the TV stand and demanded to play, digging her fur into the crooks of his neck whenever he gave her a hug. It warmed his heart whenever Edd wanted to ask a question and then get flustered when he made a mistake and asked a personal question. He bathed in the feeling of being... **_loved_ **. Tord wanted to tell all of these things to Matt, and so much more, but he only managed a whispered response. "I enjoyed it…"

He briskly made his way into the kitchen and did the dishes, often letting his attention drift toward the conversation Edd and Matt were having as they prepared the beds. The Norwegian hated how he gave a three worded, automated response to the Brit; it lacked emotion and any true passion for the things he did.

Half an hour later, Tord joined the two in the living room, fiddling with the sleeves of his shirt as he watched Edd dust the fur off the blankets. "Sorry about all the fur, Ringo doesn't know where her own bed is." Edd said, pointedly staring at the cat that was licking her fur as she sat curled up beside the foot of the sofa. It was pretty funny to Tord if he thought about it; Edd was like a disappointed dad having to take care of his sassy child.

"It's alright." Tord replied with a small giggle. His face lit aflame in embarrassment when Edd looked at him strangely and shyed away into the blanket Matt had tossed at him. Luck seemed to be on his side because the brunet didn't address it and instead clicked off the lights.

Tord listened to Matt silently humming to himself as he got changed into his pyjamas, and slipped onto the mattress, pulling the blanket over his body. "Matt, I swear to the Cola gods if you kick me in your sleep, I **will** toss you down the stairs." Edd hissed through the darkness. The Norski forced himself to stifle his laughter as he snuggled into the blankets, ready to fall asleep. It wasn't until both Brits had begun to lightly snore that he finally noticed it.

_He couldn't sleep._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Tom is passed out and Matt and Edd have fallen asleep. Tord's insomnia demons are plaguing him again and he's laying in the mattress with eyes wide open.
> 
> Now next chapter, will be the possible downfall. Have you got a ticket for the feels train?


	15. Spiralling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord makes the decision to spiral down a staircase, but he doesn't know it's the wrong staircase to descend.  
>  **TW: Suicide attempt and panic attack**

After spending countless hours not being able to sleep, Tord's eyes had adjusted themselves to the darkness of the living room. He didn't think it was fair; why could everyone else sleep so easily and he couldn't? His brown eyes glanced over towards the window, where the curtains had been drawn.

Should he leave? He was only being a burden to them, they were probably only helping him out of pity. It would be better if he just...disappeared. They wouldn't have to fuss over his stupid body and Tom would be happy. After all, who wanted a low-life coward like him, right?

The ginger barely realised he was crying until he felt a warm tear fall onto his hand, letting out a silent, pathetic laugh; he was such a fuck up.

_Why don't you take Edd’s advice? Run._

That…did seem like a good idea. They'd be much better off without him and besides; Tord could go back and prove to Paul that he hadn't been hurt. The Norski choked out a sob at the thought of his two close friends, they were worried sick for him since he did technically vanish on them. Tord brought up a hand to wipe at the tears, trying to stay silent and not arouse the strawberry blond sprawled out on the mattress beside him.

Despite longing to go back to base and return to Patryk and Paul, Tord was aware that he couldn't do so. Returning to base meant returning to his previous ways, being a mass murderer and a wanted man.

_Alright then. Since you obviously can't take the responsibility, I suggest you go over to the balcony and end it all. And on the plus side, you'll avoid confrontation since everyone is asleep._

He should probably listen to the voice; I mean, what did he have to lose? Slowly crawling out of the tangled blankets, Tord stood up on his feet as his eyes were focused on the window opposite him. He didn't have any regrets, this was the best possible way to go. Wait, should he write a note?....No, they probably wouldn't read it anyway.

The ginger let his feet guide him to the window, carefully climbing over Edd's body as his eyes briefly glanced downwards at the shirt he was wearing. The brunet had spent his money on it, and now he was going to stain it. _Shame._ He hardly felt his fingers wrapping around the lock and fumbling to unlatch it. The ringing in his ears was far too loud for him to hear the whipping wind once he pulled it open.

The gorgeous sky with stars twinkling within it greeted him somberly as he took a step onto the balcony. If he had to pick between the cityscape or the night sky being the last thing he saw, he'd have to choose the sky; it was too beautiful to pass up. He couldn't feel himself climbing atop one of the chairs that were set on the balcony and he couldn't feel his feet placing themselves onto the railing.

_He did feel the hand tightly gripping his arm and pulling him back, however._

**Shit.**

He was so quiet, how the fuck did someone wake up? Oh god, they were gonna ask so many questions, there was no escape; he was _fucked_. Tord felt his lungs burning inside him as he struggled to take a breath. His vision began swimming and the ringing in his ears only progressively got louder and louder; and it wasn't long before it became unbearable. He snapped his head to see who it was that had caught him, but could just about make out the blue colour of the clothing and the brown hair; Tom…? His mouth was moving but Tord couldn't hear the words past his heart beating in his ears. Loud, too loud. Hurt, couldn't breathe-gonna diediedie _diediediediedie-_

Tord was surprised when he felt himself being seated in one of the chairs that were in the kitchen and squinted when the lights were turned on. Too bright, his eyes hurt. He visibly jumped at the sound of Tom's voice entering his ears and he could just about hear himself choking on air. "-ar me? Please breathe out." The Brit's voice was calm and collected, but Tord could see (past the spots plaguing his vision) his eyes were folded in worry. Was he hallucinating?

He thought back to the command that he had been given and it didn't help that his body twisted in panic; _breathe out!?_ He needed to breathe in, not out! Was Tom trying to kill him? _He didn't want to die._ He must have been making a face of confusion because Tom gently wrapped his hands around Tord's trembling ones.

"Trust me, it'll help. I know it hurts, and I know you're scared. But I need you to breathe out for me." Tom spoke, his voice hushed so as to not wake the other males that were sleeping in the adjacent room.

Squeezing his eyes shut tight, the ginger attempted to do as he was told, but it seemed his lungs were working against him. Tord let out a soft cry of panic, feeling the tears well up in his eyes as he opened them to face the brunet, terror written on his face. "I-I...ca- _can't_!" He whimpered, beginning to subconsciously claw at Tom's palm.

The brunet gave a soft sigh and gently rubbed his thumb against the Norski’s bandaged wrist. "Try harder. I'm here, don't worry. I'm not leaving anytime soon." He answered, patiently waiting for the other. _(Stay?)_

_He will leave. He'll see how pathetic you are and give up on you. They always do._

Br-breathe _(breathe)_ o-out...everything was o-okay…

_**You know you're just a burden. They want you dead.** _

It's oka-okay _(okay?)_...you're s-safe _(safe?)_ ….just bre-breathe _(out)_ o-out…

 **They don't love you!** _(Do they?)_

They did. They loved him so so much. They helped him, gave him food and a roof over his head. The voice was wrong, and Tord knew it because he loved them too. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, the ginger managed to let out a deep exhale, internally swearing to himself that he saw the tiniest signs of a smile forming on Tom's cheeks. _(Tom doesn't smile..?)_ "That's it. Hold it for four seconds, okay?" The Brit asked, as Tord nodded in response, taking a deep breath in once the four seconds were up. "Keep it in for seven, alright? You're doing great, keep going." _(Praise?)_

The next twenty five minutes were spent calming Tord's breathing, and it relieved the teen to know that his lungs were finally cooperating with him. Once he had regained control of his breathing pattern, the Norwegian welcomed the hands slipping into his palm as they warmed him up. "Tord, can you name five things you can see?" Tom gently asked, watching as the other's eyes scanned the kitchen for objects to name.

Trying his best to see through the spots in his vision, Tord’s blurry sight focused on a few objects, allowing him to answer the question. "....the coffee machine...Edd's favourite mug...the fr-fridge, the fruit bowl...you." He quietly replied, barely noticing that he had once stuttered once in that sentence.

Giving a nod at the valid answers he had been given, Tom lightly squeezed the other's hand. "And four things you can hear?" He continued.

"The cars outside, clock ticking, Edd and Matt snoring and….the fridge?" Tord answered, listening intently and slightly confused as to why the fridge was humming.

"Alright, one last one." Tom mused with another nod. "Three things you can feel."

"Your hand, my blanket and my tears." Tord replied, hardly skipping a beat as he relayed what he could physically feel. He almost let out a whine when he felt Tom's hand slipping out of his palm and instead shrunk into the comfort of the blanket.

"You feeling better?" Tom questioned, watching as Tord fiddled with the blanket he had draped over his shoulders while the other was in his state of panic.

The Norwegian gave a mute nod at the question, hiding his partially red face under the comfy fabric. "S-Sorry…." He mumbled.

Raising an eyebrow at the sudden apology, Tom offered the only thing he could think of. "Want some water?" When he got a nod in reply, he poured a glass full from the dispenser by the door and handed it to the ginger.

Tord took a couple of sips from the glass, practically lavishing in the cool taste as he wiped the tears off of his face. "M'sorry I woke you…"

"You didn't wake me." Tom said with a soft sigh. "I was getting up to get some painkillers when I noticed you."

The other just gave a simple hum at that before he drank some more water. He hadn't realised it until now, but his throat had really been dry. His eyes stung from crying and his cheeks hurt. His wrist was also throbbing with pain since Tom had gripped onto it so tightly. The Norwegian’s mouth opened and closed as if he was debating whether or not he should say anything, his eyes flickering between the glass in his hands and his feet shuffling against the kitchen floor.

He really wanted to know why Tom had saved him. Why he had wasted his time on someone like him, when he could have left Tord for dead. Why he had brought him out of his panic attack and why he had given him water. Why was he doing all of this when he could have let him slip off the balcony and cease to exist-

"Hey hey, calm down." Tom's soft voice called as Tord felt a hand slipping itself into his palm. So warm and soft, and...forgiving. "I...really don't know myself. All I know is that I shouldn't let you die. You're trying so hard to make things right that you're worried you aren't doing enough."

Tord blinked the tears out of his eyes as he glanced up to face the other, his vision blurring slightly in his right eye. He could just barely make out the gentle smile on Tom's face, and he began to wonder if he had hit his head somewhere.

"Burgh, I suck at this!" Tom grumbled, rubbing a hand over his flushed face. "Am I making you uncomfortable? Do you need some time alone?"

Letting out a small chuckle, Tord shook his head gently and smiled, squeezing the hand back. "I want you to stay with me...p-please?" He asked.

His empty eyes widened in response at the words, feeling his body tense up. Was Tord… **_asking_ ** to stay with him? He noticed how his smile slowly began to drop and the grip on his hand released, but Tom squeezed it. "Of course." He said with a shrug. "Not like the both of us are gonna be sleeping soon."

Tord gave a nod once the brunet had finally let go of his hand, finishing off the glass of water before placing it onto the kitchen counter. He sat there in silence, not really knowing what to do now. I mean, what are you really _supposed_ to do after an attempted suicide?

"Have you ever played Word Chain?" Tom asked, turning his head to look at the other. The confused eyebrow raise he got in return was enough to say that Tord had no idea what he was talking about. "We'd play it whenever there were power outs."

Tord fiddled with the blanket that was over his shoulders, his inner demons screaming at him not to ask. He gripped the blankets tighter and ignored them, opening his mouth to speak. "What are the rules?"

Tom leaned back into the chair he was sitting in and glanced up at the dim bulb, rhythmically tapping his fingers against the counter. He didn't know it, but it was gradually calming Tord down. "Well, the first player says a word and the other players have to make a new word using the final letter of the previous one." He explained, lowering his gaze to look back at Tord. "Kinda simple if you ask me, but a great time killer."

"Oh, so it's like Shiritori!" Tord burst out in excitement. When he noticed that Tom was looking at him in bafflement, he blushed and waved him off. "N-Nothing, just some dumb anime shit…"

"So, you up for it? The theme for this round will be animals." Tom queried, completely disregarding what had just happened. He got a nod in return, and the two began their game. "Giraffe."

"Elephant." Tord answered with a small grin.

"Tiger." Tom shot back, the corners of his lips turning upwards slightly.

"Raccoon."

"Narwhal."

"Leopard."

"Deer."

* * *

Licking the crumbs off of his face in content, Tord glanced up to look at Tom, who was scrolling through his phone. The two had abandoned their game of word chain about an hour ago and were now munching on random food they found in the kitchen; Tord had found a cookie tin and Tom recovered a pack of chocolates.

The ginger let out a small yawn and rubbed his eyes; god he was so exhausted. But he wasn't sure how he was going to sleep now, especially after-

"Here."

His brown eyes caught a glimpse of something black and white being pressed into his hands, looking down at the object to see it was a pair of headphones that were currently connected to the other's phone. "I've got a couple audiobooks downloaded. Do they help with sleep?"

"More or less." Tord replied, slipping the headphones over his ears. "Which books do you have?"

Tom laughed as he gently pulled on the Norski's arm, dragging him back into the living room. "Get yourself on the sofa and I'll show you." He whispered, climbing over Matt's arm and collapsing onto the sofa. Tord followed suite, weaving in between each of Edd's limbs before he joined Tom on the sofa.

Taking the phone into his hands, Tord scrolled through the list of audiobooks as he tried to pick out his favourite one. He giggled when Tom let out a choked gasp as he scrolled past _Girl On The Train_ and had to gently push his arm back when he began to grab for the phone. "Don't you dare say that book isn't good." Tom hissed through the darkness of the room.

"It's not, it's actually really well written, and I liked the storyline. But I saw another one that I really wanted to read." Tord whispered back in defense, scrolling back up the pages the Tom had flicked past in his attempt to grab the phone. He clicked on _I Know When The Caged Bird Sings_ and pressed play, sinking into the sofa as he closed his eyes and pulled the blankets up to his chest. He let the words of the narrator enter his ears as he felt warmer by the second. A little nudge to his knee caused him to crack open his left eye slightly, and he could just barely make out Tom's lips moving to say something.

Tord let a soft smile brush against his lips as he shut his eyes, letting the words wash him into a peaceful slumber.

_Goodnight, Tord._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you have ever thought about suicide, please take the time to get proper help. Call a suicide hotline, talk it out with a friend or family. It's not my place to tell you guys what to do, but if you really feel as if you are alone and struggling, please reach out to someone who cares.
> 
> About the chapter, all I can say is that this event will only further bond the two polar opposites, but don't keep your hopes up because there is still more descending to do. I also reccomend these books, they're really good.
> 
> Anyway, I've got school tomorrow and I need to conk out. See you guys next chapter!


	16. Strawberries and Whipped Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edd and Matt leave to hang out with the neighbours, leaving Tom and Tord in the apartment.

The next morning, the three of them woke up around noon for the first time in a while. Tom was the first to get up, making his way into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. A few minutes later, Matt woke up and refused to give in to the sunlight seeping into the room and instead dug his face into the pillow again. Edd was the final one to wake up, yawning and muttering a sleepy _"Morning."_ to the two. The brunet got onto his feet to use the bathroom, hesitating when his eyes gazed towards the sofa, forcing himself to hold back a squeal at the sight.

Tord must have gotten up some time in the night because he was now curled up on the sofa, his hair a mess and a very familiar pair of checkered headphones over his ears. He was wrapped up in his blanket and was currently leaning against Tom, who was busy scrolling through his phone. A mischievous grin began to grow on Edd’s face, the clear signs in his eyes that he was scheming something beginning to shine through. The other brunet must have felt his mischievous aura because his eyes snapped towards his friend, ferociously mouthing the words _"Don't you dare."_. Silently nodding and letting his grin drop into an understanding smile, Edd made a zipping motion over his lips before rushing into the bathroom.

Tom gave an embarrassed huff at his friend's teasing, briefly glancing down at the sleeping Norwegian before lifting his eyes to look towards the strawberry blond still in bed. Gently giving a soft kick to his back, Tom watched as the 18 year old groaned and glared at him. "Go get breakfast started." The brunet whispered.

"But I need to brush my ha-" Matt began, shutting up immediately when the teen opposite him raised an eyebrow expectantly at him. Grumbling in defeat and kicking the blankets off of his body, the Brit got up and trudged over to the kitchen, leaving Tom with Tord.

The brunet’s eyes were on his phone, yet his mind kept flickering to the previous night. That might have been one of the most terrifying thing to encounter since the robot, and Tom hadn't even been expecting to face that. He had woken up sometime near midnight to grab some pills because the hangover was fucking killing him. He climbed off the sofa with ease, barely noticing the missing person in the mattresses, and headed off into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. You could just imagine the look of sheer terror on his face when he finally noticed the windows had been flung open and a certain someone standing perched atop the balcony railings; Tom couldn't remember the last time he had moved so fast.

It didn't surprise him that the ginger had spun into a severe panic attack when he had been caught, but Tom tried his best to calm him down, just like those rare occasions he had done with Edd.

The Brit had read somewhere online that you shouldn't escalate the situation further and instead try and cool it down. Talking about the act Tord was about to commit was definitely out of the question, so the best thing Tom could do was reassure the other that he wasn't leaving. He had seen how fidgety the Norski had looked, so he offered one of his audio books to him until they both fell asleep on the sofa.

The sound of Matt lightly singing as he got the waffles made brought the 18 year old back to reality, blinking a couple times before switching off his phone and reaching for the TV remote. He did say he wouldn't leave Tord's side, and he certainly didn't want a repeat of last night's events, so Tom let his body succumb to the comfort of the cushions, his eyes glued to the TV.

_He definitely shouldn't tell Edd or Matt about this._

The strawberry blond had returned a few minutes later and handed Tom a plate of waffles, seeing as the other couldn't really move, before hopping back into the kitchen. After muttering a soft thanks, the Brit dug in to the breakfast, briefly glancing down at Tord; how long would he be out for? Shrugging lightly, Tom let his eyes drift back to the TV. He supposed he could have some calm before the storm.

Unfortunately for him, Edd destroyed the peace by returning to the living room and plopping himself atop the armrest of the sofa, a malicious grin spread across his cheeks. Sighing in annoyance, Tom glared at his friend and hissed a single word. "What?"

The grin on the cola lover's face only grew wider as he pointed a finger at both males. "Mind telling me how you ended up in this position?" Edd whispered.

Rolling his eyes, though he doubted the other teen could see, Tom decided to tell it as it was, leaving out unnecessary details of course. "Simple, I got up to get pills and he couldn't sleep so I gave him my headphones to calm him. Now can you please move so I can finish my waffles?" He answered.

Edd gave him a series of nods before moving two fingers from his eyes back to Tom. "Alright, but I'm watching you two." He whispered, sliding off the armrest and leaving to grab his own breakfast. It seemed that he and Matt had found a topic to chat about because the two remained in the kitchen while the other finished up breakfast.

It gave Tom at least twenty more minutes to scroll through the news as he ate his breakfast. Movement to the left of him had his eyes glancing to the side; was Tord waking up? The ginger just gave a deep sigh in his sleep as he turned over, leaving Tom's body and curling up into the cushions instead. Raising an eyebrow at the simple action, Tom faced his attention away from the TV; the commie would probably be out until noon. Just as he had begun watching the news on some politics, his two friends decided to enter the living room, both their expressions showing they had just realised something.

Tom's eyes glanced between the two, waiting for them to say something. When it was clear none of them were going to talk, he grumbled and tilted his head. "What now?" He hissed.

"We just realised it's been a week since Tord moved back in." Matt whispered, pulling desperately on his arm.

"And Eduardo asked us all to hang out today!" Edd added in desperation as he pulled on his hair.

It took a few minutes, but finally the realization clicked in his mind and Tom's eyes widened, softly muttering "Shit…" under his breath.

"Shit indeed. So what are we supposed to do?" The artist questioned, placing a hand to his chin as he nervously paced the room several times. "He's always violent when it comes to Tord, and he still gets pissed whenever it's even mentioned."

Switching the TV off and placing the remote on the coffee table, Tom readjusted himself on the sofa, making sure not to accidentally kick the ginger and glanced up. "Just tell him I'm sick." He offered.

"You used that excuse last time, Tom." The strawberry blond pointed out, crossing his arms in thought.

"Then...tell him I'm horribly hungover!" Tom replied in frustration, his empty eyes glancing back at the sleeping Norwegian. There was no way they'd all go, and leaving Tord alone in the house was an absolute no go considering what he almost did last night. "At least it's the truth."

Edd paused almost immediately in his pacing and glared at Tom, his eyes narrowing as he looked his friend up and down. "How many bottles did you drink?" He questioned.

"Uh...I lost count after six." Tom answered, flailing his arms in defense once he noticed the angered look on the brunet's face. "Don't worry though! I threw up most of it….maybe all."

Rolling his eyes as he grabbed another waffle from the kitchen, Edd pointedly glared at the other. "You are definitely staying here then." He mumbled through a mouthful.

Tom gave a sigh of relief once it was all decided and collapsed back onto the sofa, kicking his feet up against the coffee table as the others got ready. At least he could stay behind, he didn't think he could take another one of Eduardo's slaps on the back.

Edd and Matt left shortly after, the brunet relaying everything to Tom before he did so. He had repeated it so many times that the Brit was sure he had it memorized by now; make sure Tord has breakfast, clean his bandages every few hours, keep him company because he doesn't like being left alone (Tom knew why) and feed Ringo and make her feel included.

Opting to get some of the dishes done before the ginger woke up, Tom picked up the plates and mugs off the coffee table and took to the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves and delving into the piles of unclean dishes.

He was just about done when he was startled by a sudden crash coming from the living room. Cocking an eyebrow in intrigue, Tom slipped off the washing up gloves and peeked his head around the door, forcing himself to stifle a snort.

Tord was definitely up alright, but his body was on the floor, entangled within the blankets. His hands shot up instinctively towards his head, cradling it after (what Tom assumed was) smacking it against the coffee table and softly muttering what was probably curses. The brunet's headphones were still on him, but only one side was on his ear while the other was dangling on his shoulder.

Tom couldn't stop the shit-eating grin that came to his face _(though he doubted he ever wanted to)_. "Good morning!~" He lightly teased. Unlike all the other times he had spoken, Tord refused to jump or even flinch, instead yawning as he looked over his shoulder to face the other.

"Det er hyggelig å se deg igjen…" The ginger sleepily mumbled, rubbing his eyes and attempting to free himself out of the blankets. "Where's Matt and Edd?"

Shaking his head slightly, Tom made his way over and crouched down, helping Tord out as he replied. "They went out. Had to hang out with Eduardo and the others." Tom just about noticed the flash of confusion in the other's eyes before he remembered that Tord wasn't really with them when they moved in. "The neighbours that used to live beside our old house."

Tord barely remembered a short man in blue bleeding out on the ground while another in green cradled him. Oh yeah. _That_. He just gave a hum in response and stretched his arms after finally being freed from the blanket cocoon. His hands briefly brushed against the headphones that were still on his head and he gently slipped them off, holding them out for Tom to take.

"How'd you sleep?" The brunet questioned, taking the headphones and placing them on the arm of the sofa. He watched as Tord's eyes flickered across the room as he fiddled with his fingers, a flustered blush coming to his cheeks as his lips turned up in the smallest smile. Not gonna lie, it was pretty cute.

_Ew, I did **not** just think that._

"Like a baby…" The Norski quietly muttered. Tom felt his own smile crossing his face as he stood up and nervously rubbed the back of his head; God it was so awkward. What was the first thing Edd had told him to do?

_Oh fuck, his bed hair is adorable._

Focus, Thomas! Oh yeah, breakfast! "Uh, Matt made us s-some waffles? You want some?" He managed to sputter out.

Tord just gave a soft nod as he sat himself back on the sofa, taking the remote into his hands and clicking the TV back on. "If you have strawberry and whipped cream, please." He answered, yawning lightly before his eyes focused on the TV.

Smirking to himself as he made his way back into the kitchen, Tom let out a quiet chuckle; some things just never change, huh?

He grabbed a couple waffles and took out a few strawberries out of the fridge, as well as the whipped cream. Tord just got lucky that Matt had decided to stock up on the desserts. Once he was done preparing it, he went back into the living room and handed it to Tord, who took it with a small smile and a nod.

Popping himself on the arm of the sofa, Tom watched as the ginger took a spoon of waffle and placed it into his mouth, feeling a hot flush coming to his face. Clearing his throat and avoiding eye contact, the Brit spoke. "They're not gonna be back until around 8, so it's just me and you today. Got anything particular you'd like to do?"

Tord glanced up from his breakfast to look at the other, humming in thought. "What do you usually do when they're gone?" He finally questioned. 

"Either get drunk, which I can't do because I'm already hungover from last night." Tom said, raising an eyebrow when he heard a light snort from the Norski. "Or I play Susan."

Vaguely remembering that Susan was not an actual person, but Tom's beloved bass, Tord just gave a shrug in response. "Do you still have the console?" He asked, preparing to hear that it was destroyed in the explosion. 

"Surprisingly, yeah. Still has all the data on it too." Tom replied, tilting his head ever so slightly. "What, you wanna play a few rounds?"

Tord bobbed his head up and down in excitement, fighting to keep the grin off his face. "I just want to see if you've lost your spark."

Listening to the other's chuckle as he got up, the ginger took another spoonful of waffle and cherished the taste of strawberry in his mouth. "They're in Matt's apartment. Let me go grab them and we'll see who's lost their spark." Tom announced with a smirk as he left the apartment.

Tord laughed quietly to himself as he finished off breakfast; it was nice to hear Tom back in his competitive tone. It was also quite nice of him to avoid the topic of last night, the Norwegian didn't think he was ready to be pressured about it. He let his fingers dance through the grey furball sitting beside him and gave Ringo a light kiss. "Morning, girl. How are you?" He cooed. The cat just gave a tired meow and rubbed her head against his waist, to which he smiled. "Yeah, love you too."

His eyes glanced upwards and caught a glimpse of a phone sitting on the coffee table. At first, Tord thought that maybe Matt or Edd may have forgotten their phone, but when he caught sight of a checkered phone case, he knew it was Tom's. He thought back to his two friends - the ones that felt like his parents (heh, Paul would probably fluster if Tord were to call him Dad) - and wondered if they were doing alright. They wouldn't mind a call from him, right? For a brief moment, the voice returned but he pushed it back; he needed to start taking Tom's advice. 

Taking the phone into his hands and placing his plate on the table, Tord opened up the phone and gazed at the time. Jeez, he'd been sleeping for ages; it was almost 1pm.

He pushed the phone app and dialed in Patryk's number, lifting it to his ear when it began to ring. He couldn't wait to hear their voices again; maybe if he could persuade the others, they could let the two crash in the apartment building. (er, wrong wording there but you get what I mean) It would be a hopeless thought, but he could at least try. 

**CLICK!**

_"Hey boss. Wazzup?..."_

Tord giggled at the exhausted tone in Pat's voice and answered. "I just wanted to check in with you guys. How's Paul doing?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should remember this little bit of Norwegian from the previous chapters. If you don't, feel free to go back and translate.
> 
> Finally we got the red and blue alone in the apartment and someone's obviously got a crush on the other. I wonder what will happen, hmmm? *lenny face*
> 
> Nope, sorry you probably won't see any smut in this fic, me being asexual makes it difficult to even write it so...yeah.
> 
> Anyway, you've still got a bunch to go!


	17. Come To Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two play a few rounds on the console, have lunch and Tord comes clean about his role in the Red Army.

Kicking his apartment door open with his foot, Ton kept a firm hold on the box that was in his hands as he announced his arrival. "Got them!" He called, heaving the box onto the floor as he shut the front door.

Tord had been keeping Ringo occupied by dangling her favourite toy mouse in front of her, but when the other had returned, he leapt off the sofa and left the cat to gnaw on the toy. He knelt beside the box and peered into it, feeling his lips curve up at the sight of the old console as well as the stacks of games; ah, how he missed playing them.

"Ah, ah! We need to clean those bandages before we do anything." Tom said, watching as Tord flinched and sheepishly looked away.

"Hahaha, w-what bandages?" The Norski nervously laughed, hiding his arms behind his back. He gave a sigh of defeat, however, when the brunet raised an eyebrow expectantly at him. "Ah, jævla helvete…" Tord mumbled as he brought his arms back out.

He let the eyeless man guide him into the toilet and watched as Tom gently pulled his bandages off, scrunching his face up at the sight of it. It was only then that it occurred to the ginger that Tom had never actually seen his wounds.

"Fuck, and this didn't heal over two years?" Tom muttered under his breath as he got out the antibiotics. "Kick me if it hurts like a bitch, alright?"

Tord gave a light snort at the thought of the other cradling his stomach after being kicked, but nodded as he bit his cheeks in preparation for the pain. While Tom was treating his arm, Tord could hear the constant murmuring that came out of Tom's mouth. He could just about make out the frequent curses, which was pretty understandable, but he winced when Tom mentioned a check up with the hospital.

His mind drifted back to the phone conversation he had a few minutes ago with Paul. He remembered how his father figure had told him that they might have to actually amputate it since it hadn't healed in over two years.

Tord let out a small cry as he pulled away from Tom, frantically kicking his legs so that he could relieve some of the pain. He immediately began apologising when his foot connected with the other's nose, tilting his head when Tom just waved it off.

"I told you to kick me if it hurt like a bitch, didn't I?" Tom had said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. And I'm sorry for that." Tord had quipped back. The two were silent after that, and that allowed the ginger to go back to his train of thought. Paul had said that if he didn't get his arm removed within the next three months, it would spread to the rest of his body and cause him to die. Tord definitely didn't want that to happen, especially since he had just gotten his friends back, so with a heavy heart, he scheduled an appointment with Yuu to get it done.

The Norwegian was jolted out of his thoughts yet again when this time he felt a warm hand trailing it's way up his left arm and glanced up to face Tom, who had a soft look in his eyes. He was obviously transfixed on something since he had completely paused cleaning his arm. Following his gaze the best his blurry vision could muster, Tord realised that the other had been staring at the cuts decorating his arm; the ones that hadn't been caused by the explosion.

_His bandaged palm wrapped around the kitchen knife, his eyes mesmerized by the way it glinted in the moonlight. Just a couple; he could wrap it up and keep it hidden from the others. So he cut._

_And again. And again. And again and again and again and again and ag **ain and again and agai-** _

"You...weren't meant to see those…" Tord whispered gently, feeling tears prickle at the memory of causing them. He expected for the oncoming yelling, the _'Why did you do it!?'_ , and for Tom to get angry with him for harming himself even more.

What he did _not_ expect was for the Brit to give a smile of understanding and lift his arm up to reveal his own cuts. "Hey, at least we can be scar buddies now." He gently said.

Tord couldn't hold back the choked gasp that rose in his chest and covered his mouth with his left hand. "Y- _You_ …" He stammered, not being able to tear his gaze away from the cuts.

"Everyone goes through some shit, scars just show that you lived, I guess." Tom shrugged, rolling his sleeves down and bashfully rubbing the back of his head. "At least, that's what Edd says…"

He glanced upwards to meet with Tord furiously wiping at his tears and gave a soft sigh, shutting his eyes. "Jeg tilgir deg. Now, how about I actually wrap those bandages instead of leaving them out in the open?"

The ginger felt his eyes widen at Tom's sudden use of Norwegian, but couldn't fight the small smile that came to his face as his cheeks flushed a little. "Okay." He said with a snicker. "Make it quick so I can beat your ass at video games."

Tom let out an offended squawk as he pulled out the roll of bandages. "How **dare** you assume I haven't gotten better at them!" He huffed, a pink hue dusting his cheeks.

A laugh.

Tord was laughing his usual, genuine laugh. It was so ~~cute~~ contagious that Tom couldn't help but join in. He missed Tord's laughter; it was so nice to hear it again.

* * *

"No no no no, _**fuck** _!" Tom grumbled as he frantically smashed the buttons on his controller, trying desperately to win the round. Tord was just confidently sitting on the bean bag, a content smirk on his face as he calmly pressed the buttons as opposed to Tom.

The two characters on screen clashed and there was only one winner; to which the Brit gave a groan of defeat as his fingers relaxed, feeling the soft pokes on his cheeks. "I win, Jehovah! Suck on that!" Tord cheered triumphantly, laughing when the brunet shoved him away.

"Fine, so you're still better than me, whatever commie." Tom admitted with the roll of his dark eyes, feeling his insides warm up when he heard his old nickname coming from the other. "We should probably fix up some lunch. What are you feeling like?"

Tord hummed in thought as he swung his legs, saving the process in the game and mentally adding a point to the scoreboard. His eyes lit up when he figured out what he wanted to eat and leapt onto the other, who let out a small yelp in surprise. "Bacon!" Tord replied with a wide grin. He was really craving some bacon since he hadn't had it in a while.

Chuckling softly at the answer he probably should have expected, Tom gave a smile as he looked up at the ginger on top of him. "You dumbass. You can't have _only_ bacon for lunch. How about I add it in some noodles?" He suggested.

"Alright, as long as I get to have bacon." The Norski agreed with a nod, his ginger hair horns bobbing with every movement.

Bashfully looking to the side, Tom gently tapped the other's arm. "If you could get off so I can head into the kitchen, that would be nice." He said. Tord's eyes widened in realisation and he immediately released the brunet's shoulders, back pedalling on the sofa.

"S-Sorry! I didn't even notice I was-" Tord stammered, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"Nah, 's alright. I know how you get around bacon, so I should've expected it." Tom waved it off nonchalantly as he heaved himself off the sofa. "Could you feed Ringo for me? The cat food is right above the TV."

The request seemed to calm Tord's jittery nerves as he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why is it above the TV?" He questioned, leaning over the screen to reach into the cupboard that was sitting behind it. His fingers wrapped around a bag and he brought it out to see that it was the cat food. A meow beside him let him know that Ringo wanted to eat, and now. "Alright, baby. I'll put it in your bowl, don't worry." Tord softly cooed.

"Because she somehow managed to climb up the counter and take it out of the cupboard." Tom called from the kitchen as he got out the noodle bags and two bowls. "She knows she's not allowed to jump on top of the TV, so Edd used that to his advantage."

Tord snorted at the thought of his friend scolding the cat and putting the cat food above the TV with a smug look on his face. He brought the bowl out and poured the food into it, watching as Ringo passed over to it almost immediately. The ginger set the treats back and returned to pet the cat, sitting cross legged on the floor and letting his fingers brush through her silky grey fur.

He remembered how ecstatic he was when he had found out that Edd had gotten a Norwegian Forest cat; he never let Ringo go after that. How he missed snatching her into his room and locking the door for Edd to start wailing at him. _'I wanna pet my baby girl!'_ He would say. And Tord would reply with _'Well too bad, she wants to stay with me!' 'Tooord! Pleeeease?'_

How he missed grooming Ringo's fluffy fur with Matt, always putting the brushes in his hair when the other left for a snack. _'Hey, Matt. How do I look?'_ He used to say, puffing up his hair proudly as several combs sat in it. _'Like you ran through a tornado. Get Ringo's brushes out of your hair, Tord.'_ Matt would sigh in annoyance. _'Buzzkill.'_

How he missed playing guitar for Ringo and Tom would always start playing his bass. The two would duke it out for ages, arguing over who was the better fit for the cat. _'My bass sounds better!'_ Tom would argue, placing a hand on his sweet Susan. _'Nu-uh, guitar! See she's vibing to it!'_ Tord would shoot back. _'Tord, she's in a massaging chair.' '....Touchè.'_

He would get it all back, and make their bond stronger than ever. "Tord, could you come here a second?" Tom called. The Norski got up from his seat and waved to Ringo before making his way into the kitchen, peeking his head through the door. Tom was standing on a stool to reach the stove, and he was pondering on something when he noticed the ginger tufts of hair by the doorway. "What spices do you want?" He queried, placing a hand on his hip and watching as Tord walked into the kitchen.

"You're using a _**stool** _?" Tord asked with a raised eyebrow, snickering when the other began to sputter at the comment.

"You're not **that** much taller than me, asshole." Tom retorted as the Norwegian made his way over to the counter, muttering a light "Touchè." as he did so. He watched with soft eyes as Tord picked out the spices from the cupboards, moving to the side to let him on the stool from time to time.

Patting the lid of a jar, the ginger looked up with a smile. "These spices should do it. They really make a meal taste bomb." He said, taking a teaspoon of each spice and adding it into the noodles. "Værsågod, Thomas. I can't wait to taste them."

And with that, he left the kitchen to leave behind a very confused brunet. "Vær…shit, what did that mean again?" Tom mumbled to himself as he stirred the noodles in the pot.

* * *

His eyes sparkled at the sight of the food in front of him, the fresh scent of nicely spiced bacon filling the room as he grabbed a fork. Tom gave a chuckle at Tord's enthusiasm as he took his own noodle bowl, glancing up at him with a smile. "So, how is it?"

Slurping up the last bit of the noodle that was sticking out of his mouth, Tord grinned back. "I didn't know you were a cook, Tom." He teased through a mouthful.

"Close your mouth when you speak. And hey, I can cook too." Tom replied, taking another lift of his noodles. "Alright, now that we've had lunch, I want you to answer a few questions."

Tord lifted his gaze from his noodle bowl and swallowed the bacon in his mouth before giving a nod. "Shoot."

"Man, you're not jittery anymore?" Tom lightly teased as he took a sip of some juice. Tord rolled his eyes and licked the spices off of his finger, shrugging as he did so.

"Fuck off, I almost killed myself last night and you're more interested in why I'm not jumping as much." He groaned.

The brunet winced at the subject and placed his glass down, turning his full attention onto Tord as they locked eye contact. "Yeah, that's uh..what I was gonna talk about actually. What made you want to…" He trailed off there as he didn't really know how to put it.

Laughing almost sadly, Tord sighed and leaned against the sofa, wrapping his arm behind the back of it. "Thomas, when you do as many bad things as I have, you'd want to do it too." He gently spoke. "When you have to put the end of a gun to someone's head and choose to end their life, no matter if they were innocent or not. When you've hurt so many, killed so many….you'd at least want to join them, right? I mean, there's no lower than the lowest. And I'm pretty sure I'm there."

Tom's attention had spiked almost immediately; was Tord actually telling him the truth? Was he deceiving him? Was he- "I'm sure that you don't even trust me either. I can see that calculating look in your eyes, Tom. And I know you're picking up on every little detail I spill."

"Then...why'd you blow our house up? Why'd you randomly come out of the blue, picking the lock to Edd's room?" Tom prodded. "If you say that you regret the things you've done, why did you go ahead and do it all over again?"

The smile Tord gave him was haunting as it gave off all sorts of emotions; guilt, anger... _sadness_. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." He quietly said, sighing as he rubbed a hand over his face, making sure to avoid the scarred areas. "Though I know that wasn't the answer you were looking for, am I right?"

Tom nervously picked at his shirt, his eyes glancing to and fro, trying to decide whether he wanted to have this conversation right now. It was the only way of knowing the truth to what really happened; and he wasn't sure if Edd and Matt could handle it. "Okay, I'll listen to whatever you have to say. But on one condition." He proposed, raising a finger. "You promise not to go back to your old ways."

Tord's eyes widened slightly, but he forced them not to go any further as the gears span in his mind. Was Tom really willing to put up with him even after everything he did? But then his heart ached at wanting to feel like he had a family again, so just this once, he held out his pinky finger and gave a soft smile when Tom had intertwined it with his. "You have my word."

* * *

Tord had told him everything.

At first, he was surprised that the Norski, a leader of an entire army, was actually willing to cooperate with him. But the more he spoke about his roles in the Red Army and his missions, Tom understood everything.

Tord was not at the highest pedestal.

In fact, he was one of the middle ranks; a Colonel. He wasn't even the leader of the whole army, just a small portion of it. Way back in 2008, Tord had left for a specific reason. His general had forced him to rip away his life with his friends and work full time in the army. That's why he never mailed or sent letters.

And even when he had broken into their house, he was doing that to help his Lieutenant Colonel who was injured during the whole zombie outbreak thing. Apparently, he had stashed away some blueprints for a bionic eye and was going to retrieve it when Tom had burst in on him and you all know what happened next.

The whole robot mess was because Tord had panicked; if he was caught up in his friend's lives, he would get them killed. So he put on this mask that he was some evil mastermind and blew up their home. Tom felt sick when he realised he had shot a harpoon at the very person who had tried to save his life from a higher threat.

"Ringo, you big ball of floof, get off my leg!"

Tom gazed up from the kitchen counter and peeked into the living room, shakily smiling at the scene. His eyes drifted their way to meet Tord's eyes, tinted with grey and only that small bit of chocolate brown remaining. The scars on his arms and face; those were all his fault.

Sighing heavily, the dark eyed man made his way over to the living room, smirking at Tord and grabbing Ringo off of him before snatching the remote out of his hands. "Hey! I was watching that!"

"Too bad, it's my turn now." Tom retorted as he adjusted himself in the sofa.

_What the fuck were they going to do after the General finds out Tord had been staying there for a while now?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only bit of Norwegian I'm going to translate for you guys. You can find out the other one yourselves ;-)
> 
> jævla helvete = fucking hell
> 
> Oh shit, I just dropped a bomb on you guys didn't I? :-D Have fun, because this fic is about to take a dark turn. Yup, I'm having Tord get his arm amputated, it's pretty annoying having a dead weight around, am I wrong?
> 
> On the bright side, Tom is finally learning Norwegian! Yes, he does steal the notebook that Edd has and frantically reads then before the cola lover wakes up. This just adds onto the level of tsundere XD
> 
> Back to nicknames too; this fic is a little too happy don't you think? You wouldn't mind if I... _played around_ with the group, would you? >:3


	18. Celebrate The Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edd and Matt return from their trip to see that the two have made up and prepare for a long day at the fair.

"Don't forget to buy your tickets, losers." Eduardo called as he leaned against the door of the house, his hand raised slightly in a goodbye.

Matt grinned widely as he waved his arm in the air. "We won't!" He called back, skipping his way to the car and seating himself inside.

"Oh, and tell your friend about it too, see if he'd like to come." Mark reminded them as Edd gave a series of nods, opening the driver side door and slipping in.

Pulling his seatbelt on and switching the engine on, Edd poked his head out of the window and smiled. "Will do! See you then!" He said, before stepping on the gas pedal and driving off.

There was silence in the car for a bit, before Matt quietly spoke up. "Are we fucked?"

"Yeah, we're fucked." Edd responded quickly, brushing a hand through his hair as he drove. During the meeting with the others, the strawberry blond had accidentally let slip that they had a friend over. Eduardo, being the generous man that he is now, offered them to come to the Friday fair and bring their friend with them. Obviously, he had no idea that he had basically just invited Tord over so the two were dreading the moment when they would clash.

Matt nervously fiddled with his fingers as he gazed out of the window, his amber orbs locking onto every object that passed. "Sorry about that...I don't really do well under pressure." He mumbled in guilt, wringing the hem of his shirt.

"I know, Matt. I'm not mad." Edd replied, turning a left as they approached the complex. "I'm just thinking of a plan so that Eduardo doesn't murder Tord."

The Brit shivered at the harsh word, but let his body relax as he gave out a sigh. He didn't feel like talking about the matter anymore, so he let his mouth stay shut as Edd parked the car before getting out. The two of them made their way up the stairs, Edd cracking a joke about how they would find the other two _'tied up to a chair'_ or something, before he got out his keys and unlocked his apartment door. "We're home!" The brunet called in exhaustion, carrying the basket he was holding into the kitchen. Eduardo had also been kind enough to gift them a whole basket of sweets and chocolates, which he begrudgingly accepted.

"How'd it go?" He heard Tom's voice emerging from the living room and he trudged over towards them.

"As good as it can ever be. Eduardo invited us to hang out at the fair on Friday. Said there's no getting out of it, so don't think of bunki-" Edd trailed off as his hazel eyes laid sight of the two figures sitting on the sofa. Tom and Tord were busy playing a few rounds of Mario Kart, a bowl of pineapple slices on the side.

"I wasn't thinking of ditching. But how are we gonna bring Tord along?" Tom nonchalantly asked, seemingly not bothered by how Tord leaned over his leg to grab a fork to snag a slice before returning to the game.

Edd shakily lifted a finger to point accusingly at the two, a grin threatening to spread across his cheeks. "Did you guys-?"

Tord absentmindedly nodded as he span his finger around the joystick, his brown eyes focused on the screen. "We made up. Yep." He answered. The squeal that Edd let out shortly after that was enough to startle the both of them as their characters span out of control and they both ended up in last place.

"What? What happened, what's wrong?" Matt shouted, rushing into the room with a worried expression on his face. He was confused when the brunet grabbed his shoulders and span him around to face him, but the moment those words slipped out of Edd's mouth, his lips turned up in a smirk.

"They made up!"

Chuckling softly to himself, Matt placed a hand on his hip and locked eye contact with Tom, who was feeling very awkward. "Well shit. We have to celebrate." He announced.

"Come on Matt, please. You don't have to go all out for me and-" Tord began, stopping in his tracks when the other hushed him. "Fine, we'll celebrate. But how?"

Edd eagerly dug through the shelf and pulled out a bunch of movie boxes. "Movie night, anyone?" He asked, being met with cheers all around. Chuckling to himself, he pulled some of the bean bags into the living room and a few blankets in case they decided to pass out during the movie.

Tord paused in his chewing when he sniffed the air, smelling a sweet cinnamon scent. "You guys brought back cinnamon and didn't tell me?" He questioned, feigning offense.

"We thought that Tom might have already gotten to you, so we didn't bother with it." Matt said with a light laugh as he slid himself between the two. "Edd, go and get the cinnamon rolls."

Glancing up from setting up the popcorn bowls, Edd raised an eyebrow and smirked in amusement. "Wow, didn't know the great Matt would be the one ordering me around." He said, laughing when a cushion was smacked into his face. "Alright alright, I'll get them!"

While the brunet was occupied with grabbing the cinnamon rolls out of the basket he had brought home, Matt turned to the two beside him with a sheepish smile. "Okay, so I might have accidentally let slip to Eduardo that we have someone sleeping over-"

"You idiot. Did you tell him it was Tord?" Tom said, turning the console off and switching it to the movie player. With the way the 19 year old furiously shook his head, the dark eyed man could tell that he didn't, which was reassuring in the slightest. He gave an annoyed sigh and rested his head against the hood of the sofa. "Something tells me that isn't it."

Matt nervously laughed and rubbed his hair enough so that it wouldn't get messed up. "Yeah...he invited us to go to the fair on Friday." He exasperated.

"Fuck, that's in two days." Tom groaned, leaning back so that he could peek behind Matt's back and locked eye contact with the Norski. "You ready to get punched in the gob on Friday?"

Tord just gave a hopeless shrug as he placed the controller back into the box, taking out the game disk and placing the console back as well. "No use hiding from it now." He simply replied. Edd returned shortly afterwards and the four of them continued on with their movie night, having tons of fun talking shit about the characters and occasionally tossing popcorn at the screen. At one point, Tord had even threatened to put his sticky hands in Matt's hair if he didn't move up, and Tom burst into fits of laughter at the strawberry bond's horrified expression.

The night ended by Matt and Tord passing out during a chickflik, and the other two were left in charge of cleaning up before they went to bed. Edd couldn't stop the widening smile on his face as he carried the dishes into the kitchen, peering into the living room and watching Tom cover the two sleeping beauties with blankets, a soft smile on his face as he did so.

Turning back to the sink and pouring some washing up liquid onto each of the plates, Edd got to scrubbing. This night might have been the nights most closest to the ones they used to have; it was refreshing. "So, how was it?" He gently called once Tom made his way into the kitchen to grab a quick drink before bed.

The empty eyed male gave a hum in response as he picked up a mug and began to pour himself a cup of tea. "Fun, like you said before. Now that Tord has opened up, things are going much better than I thought they would." He answered, grabbing a tea bag out of the cupboard and dipping it into his mug. "Even called me Jehovah, so I called him a commie again. He seemed to like it."

"I just hope you two don't wreck the furniture with your competitiveness." Edd said with a soft laugh. "Also, opened up to you _how_ exactly?"

Rolling his eyes and lifting the mug up to his lips, Tom cocked an eyebrow and glanced at the smirking male opposite him. "He told me to keep it a secret." The brunet simply replied, taking a skp of his tea.

"Aww, come on! You can tell me, I'll keep it from Matt, I swear!" Edd whined, switching the tap off and turning around to face his friend. When Tom just gave him an amused snort, he upped his whining game and began pulling on Tom's arm. "Pleeeeeaseee?"

"Ew, Edd! Don't get soap in my tea!" Tom cried, gently pushing the other off of him with a soft kick of his foot.

The artist got the hint and shuffled away, watching as Tom finished off the cup and began to move towards the living room to head to bed. "Hey, Tom. What do you think of Tord staying here? He's obviously trying to be a better person."

Tom was relieved that Edd hadn't noticed how much he had tensed up at the question, his mind thinking back to that conversation he had. "I'm.. glad." He mumbled, turning around to face Edd. "That I've got another person to kick your ass in Space Cats."

"Ouch, Tom. You wound me." Edd replied in a deadpan tone, turning back to the sink to resume washing the dishes.

"Yeah, well, patch yourself up. Night, Edd." Tom answered with a yawn, waving his hand up briefly before walking out of the kitchen.

"Night Tom." Edd called back, the smile returning to his face. He couldn't wait for all of the adventures they'd share together; maybe they should wait until Tord's arm is all healed up?

* * *

Friday had come sooner than expected, and before they knew it, the four of them were dressed up and ready to hit the fair. Tord was currently dressed in a red plaid shirt and some jeans, his hair a slight mess after sleeping against the sofa all night. The Norski had volunteered to take Ringo over to Jake to calm his nerves about what was to come, and Edd had agreed, dumping the carrier, toys and food on him.

Tord huffed as he readjusted the mountain in his arms to make sure they wouldn't fall over, kicking the door of 203 gently with his foot as Ringo sat patiently by his side. The door swung open and he was met with the smiling face of Jake. "Hey Tord. What can I do for ya, neighbour?" The man kindly asked.

"Me and the guys are going out today and we might not be back until night, so Edd wanted to hand Ringo over to you to take care of." Tord explained, heaving the objects onto the floor and cracking his back slightly. "You don't mind, do you?"

Jake just gave him a smile and squatted to pet the forest cat before she trotted off inside, clearly acting like she owned the place and stood up. "Of course not, I actually get excited when you ask me to take care of her." He replied with a grin. "Where are you guys headed?"

"Oh, we're going to the fair downtown." Tord answered, shoving a hand into his pockets. "You know, catching up and all that shit."

Jake nodded and smiled up at the ginger, getting ready to shut the door. "Well then, you best have fun! I'll see you tonight then?" He called before he shut his apartment door once the other gave a nod. The Norwegian gave a relieved sigh before moving towards Edd's apartment to tell him that Ringo was currently with Jake. He was sort of glad that the blond didn't ask him anything about his arm covered in a red cast; Matt had brought up that people might bump into Tord and cause his arm pain, so Edd had taken Tord to the hospital to get him a cast.

The visit itself was pretty nerve wracking, since the doctor kept asking about his condition, what sort of accident he had been in and what medicines he was taking. A small bit of thanks shone in his heart when the doctor didn't ask for everything in detail, and he emerged out of the hospital with a bright red cast. Edd had wondered about how they would clean his wounds, but the ginger had brushed it off. _(No point cleaning it if he was going to get it taken care of in a few days, right?)_

"We ready to go?" Tord called, peering into the apartment. Tom was currently tying up his shoelaces by the door, while Edd and Matt shoved some extra clothes into a bag, along with water bottles and a few snacks.

"We would be if they'd stop being mothers." Tom replied, standing up and dusting his clothes before glancing back at the two behind him. "Take your time guys, we have the whole day."

It took a bit, but finally they were ready, shutting the balcony and locking it before exiting the apartment. Tord made his way over to the elevator before his eyes glimpsed at the stairs, wondering briefly about it. "You guys take the elevator, I'll take the stairs." He called, just as Matt had clicked the button.

"Alright then. Tom, go with him." Edd agreed, nodding his head and not skipping a beat. The man beside him sputtered, muttering _"I wanted to use the elevator."_

"You both need the exercise, especially after doing nothing but laying around on your asses all day playing video games." The artist continued, swinging the backpack over his shoulders.

"You were a part of that!" Tom retorted, before groaning in defeat. "Fine. But we'll get there before you guys. Come on, commie."

Tord perked up when he was mentioned, letting out a surprised yelp when Tom took him by the wrist and began to drag him down the stairs. "Tom, I'm gonna trip, you asshole!" He hissed, attempting to pull his hand out of the other's hold.

"Well then, get your balance and hurry the fuck up." Tom hissed back, swiftly jogging down the stairs. The ginger rolled his eyes before joining the Brit; figures he would still rather be ahead of him.

The two made their way down rather quickly, and even getting there first, so they decided to lounge around for a bit while they waited for the elevator to descend. "You sure you're gonna be alright? I mean, this is Eduardo we're talking about; his punches hurt like a bitch and they leave a serious mark." Tom questioned, leaning against the wall and glancing out of the main entrance.

"I'll be fine, Tom." Tord replied a little too quickly, stuffing his hand into his pocket and averting his gaze. He still wasn't used to the other caring for him so much, so you can say he was a little embarrassed honestly.

The brunet just gave a helpless shrug before looking towards the elevator door, which began to slide open. "Suit yourself." He muttered, kicking himself off the wall when the other two emerged from the elevator.

"We're taking Matt's car today." Edd announced, readjusting the backpack on his shoulders and spinning the car keys around his finger. "Especially after what happened with your car, we don't want to be robbed do we?"

Out of the corner of his left eye, Tord could just barely see the light red appearing on Tom's cheek before he abruptly coughed and began walking out of the door. "Are you gonna step on it or are we gonna waste the whole day in this hallway?" He called, pulling the door open and walking into the car park.

The Norwegian turned to the two for an answer, but they both just smiled and told him that _'it was nothing too concerning'_. He just rolled his eyes and figured it was probably just a Tom thing and closed the door behind him, walking towards a lavender Prius. Huh, he'd think that Matt would go for a more...stylist choice, but this was fine.

Slipping into the cream seats, Tord clicked his seatbelt on and playfully kicked his legs in a childish manner, his chocolate irises gazing out of the window and at the street ahead. It had been a long time since he'd been outside, the teen just realised. Matt switched the radio on and lightly sang to some tunes as he drove out of the car park and down the road.

He should probably prepare his cheek in advance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so next chapter will be a little catch up with the neighbours and a slight filler before we get right into the story. Who's excited?
> 
> Sorry this chapter took so long to post, I had writers block again and it took me ages to get the proper motivation for it again. I hoped you like it, and I hope the pacing of this story isn't too slow?
> 
> With that said, I'll get to writing the chapter soon, and you lot can come up with a few ideas of your own of how you think this story will end up.


	19. Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aka the chapter you were all waiting for. You know what I'm talking about, don't act like you don't know.

Parking the car in the car park, the group got out to stretch, while Edd grabbed the backpack and swung it over both of his shoulders. Tord yawned slightly and dusted his clothes off, a habit he was used to doing after riding in a car.

"Okay, Eduardo just texted and he said they're waiting for us at the gate." Matt said, glancing up from his phone before turning it off and placing it in his pockets. "We just need to get our tickets and then we can breeze on in."

Tom frowned as he took a glance at Tord, who was currently unbuttoning his shirt to let some air in; he wasn't afraid? Usually the ginger would be trembling at the thought of meeting someone he had almost killed, but it was probably because he wasn't well acquainted with them that he didn't have emotions building up. Maybe today would be the day that could change them for the better, they would all get acquainted and have a great time. The brunet glanced up when he heard his name being called and made his way over to Edd's side. "Could you get out the money from the back pocket and grab us our tickets?" The artist had questioned, to which he nodded and got the money out.

"I'll be back in a bit, you guys wait for me!" Tom called as he made his way over to the ticket booth to order for the four of them.

Tord watched as the other disappeared from his sight and brushed a hand through his hair, glancing up at the sky and looking at all of the fair rides. God, how long had it been since he had come by? 5 years?

"I remember when the zombie thing happened." Matt piped in, leaning back and forth on his trainers while his hands were in his pockets. His freckled cheeks turned up in a grin as he looked up at the rides as well. "We conquered all of them and made a zombie themed fair."

The Norski couldn't help but snort at that, leaning against the car. "Oh yeah?" He mused with a smile, remembering the day. Tord was stuck at base finishing off some long paperwork when a soldier had reported a zombie outbreak. Of course, he went loaded with guns and rifles, and Paul had gotten scratched in the right eye, which is why he's got that bandage over it.

"Yeah, but it was cut off short cause the government killed them all and swiped the town clean." Edd joined in. "They confiscated a rifle from Tom, though I don't know where he even got that from."

_Ah, so that's where Pat's rifle went. Tom, you absolute dumbass._

"Got them!" The voice of the empty eyed man caused him to lower his head and he came face to face with Tom waving some tickets by his waist. "They said to wear this wristband too, the colours indicate what times you're allowed to be here."

"What times did you get us?" Tord hummed, strapping his neon orange wristband on and taking his entry ticket.

Tom just grinned in response and he pulled his own wristband on, winking at the other. "All the way til 8." He replied, wincing when Edd gave him a light smack on the head.

"It's only 11! How much did that cost us, you idiot?" The brunet yelled, moving his hand to pinch Tom's ear.

"Only £25, Edd! Calm down, my ear is about to fall off!" Tom cried, letting out a sigh of relief when the pressure was released from his ear. Tord snickers and elbowed the other as they made their way over to the front gate.

"Didn't know you were a cry baby, Jehovah." He teased, looking up slightly to spot a person in a pastel blue sweater and sandy blond hair; one he remembered very well.

"Brace yourself." Tom muttered under his breath and they could hear the stomps coming closer and closer before they stopped.

"What the **fuck**? Edd, this is not a funny joke, get him the fuck out!" Eduardo yelled, struggling in the hold that Mark had him in. His arms were flailing in desperation to punch the other and his face was red in anger.

Instead of replying to the other's question, Edd calmly grabbed Tord's left hand and pulled it over to connect with Eduardo, before locking eyes with the older man. "I know you're pissed as hell right now, I was like that too. Tord has quit his old ways, and he deeply apologises for hurting you three, isn't that right Tord?" He said in a harsh tone of voice, turning to his side.

"U-Uh, yeah. If there's anything I can do to make things work between us, you can say it now." Tord replied with a nod.

"One punch. Let me just get one punch in. And you have to apologise to Jon, he's the one who was hanging by death's door." Eduardo said, having calmed down and now released from Mark's hold.

Tord gave a nod and moved away from the others to make sure they didn't get punched in the process. "I agree to your terms." He confidently said, gasping for air when the man reeled his arm in and punched his chest. It was definitely harder than Matt's punch, but fuck did it hurt!

"Catch your breath and then we'll continue." Edd said as he watched Eduardo moved away from him.

Breathing in sharply as he clenched his fist and squeezed his eyes shut, Tord waited for the pain to subside; at least they were giving him some time to catch his breath. Tom averted his gaze elsewhere, not wanting to watch the scene, while Matt subconsciously rubbed his knuckles as if they were in pain. "I'm...fine now." Tord wheezed as he stumbled his way back onto his feet. "Shit, you do **not** fuck around when it comes to punching people you hate."

Eduardo gave a snort of pride and crossed his arms, jerking his head to motion towards Jon, who was busy fiddling with his fingers out of sympathy. "Now it's your end of the deal, if you really are a changed man." He said, keeping his onyx eyes on the ginger.

Lifting his head to gaze at the sandy haired man, Tord gave a weak smile as he clutched his chest in pain, his eyes meeting with the very person he had almost killed. God, if he had the chance to have this procedure with everyone he had put a gun to, he would do it many times over; at least they would get to live. "Hey there. You must be Jon, huh? Nice to- well actually no, you probably hate me for sending you into a coma." Tord began, inwardly cringing every second. _Not a good first impression._

Jon just chuckled and held a hand out, his hair bobbing in place as he did so. "I can already tell you've changed. And don't worry about that, it might've been the best sleep I've ever had." He lightly said, mostly trying to lighten up the mood.

The Norski glanced at the hand that was held out in front of him for a brief moment before grasping it with his own, giving his own weak chuckle. "Haha, yeah.." Tord awkwardly said. "I really am sorry though. It might not look like it, but I regret every second of that dreadful day. Occasionally I have reoccurring nightmares of those events and it just tears me up inside. But, I'm glad I came back and fixed everything up."

Tom gave a smirk as he closed his eyes; nice way of saying you were shoved into a car and technically just kidnapped. "So, with that being said. May I have the honour of becoming friends with all of you?" Tord finished off as he let his hand slip out of Jon's.

"Commie, we're already friends you don't need to ask us!" Tom called with a smug grin, feeling his heart warm a little when he caught Tord's eyes widen in surprise.

"Yeah Tord, we were friends since we painted our nails together!" Matt chimed in with a laugh, ruffling the bed of hair beside him. "You still need to grow a little, though."

A small squawk of offence emerged the ginger and he gazed over at the neighbours for their response. Edaurdo seemed like he was considering it, and Jon was beyond beaming happily. "So, we're starting anew? I quite like the idea, let's do it." Mark said with a grin, before he did his special 'friendship' handshake with Tord. "You're included in the people who are renovating the house, you too Tom. No more skipping."

Jon excitedly hopped up and down, the adorable characteristics of a child, and smiled as wide as humanly possible. "Oh oh, you'll help me with fiesta days, right Tord? We'll have so much fun and we can pelt Eduardo with confetti!" He cheered, laughing when the man gave a sputter of annoyance.

"Well, it did seem genuine. That, and you guys trust him." Eduardo hummed, taking his hand off his chin and looking at Tord with a smirk. "Alright then, Tord. Welcome to the group!'

The moment his hand made contact with Tord's back, the ginger was coughing and hacking; Tom was _not_ kidding about Eduardo's slaps. "I think I'll need an inhaler later on.." he wheezed in exhaustion.

"I already packed one in advance." Edd said with a smile as he patted the backpack. _Oh, thank the holy merciful God!_ "Okay, now that that's out of the way; let's go in!"

* * *

Tord had never had so much fun in his life. Sure, there were those times before he was forced to remain in the Red Army, but this had surpassed that long ago. In addition to his trio of friends, the neighbours were actually really entertaining and great to hang around.

Of course, with Edd being the mum of the group, he had insisted to take photos throughout the day. There were the normal photos, the absolutely goofy photos, and even some professional ones. Everytime Tord was placed with the neighbours, he would attempt to do a crazy pose to give the photo something to smile at, and most of the time it would work. Most of the time meaning when he tried it with Mark and Jon.

Eduardo was practically impossible to fool around with, because he always had a way to counteract it. The Norwegian had tried to pull the darker male's cheeks into a smile, and that had effectively backfired on him. The man managed to grab his arms and flip him off of the bench that he was standing on, before catching him and aggressively ruffling his hair. Another time, Eduardo had successfully managed to place Tord in a headlock for the photo, causing the other to laugh away his failed attempt.

It was nearing the end of their trip, and Tom and Tord had somehow managed to lose everyone in their group. "Well, I guess that's what happens when we turn away for five minutes on a hyperactive group." Tord said with a happy sigh as he crossed his arms.

"I should call Eduardo, seeing as his phone isn't on silent. Hopefully Jon hasn't consumed more sweets, right?" Tom hummed, bringing out his phone. He lifted his head when he noticed Tord hadn't given an answer, turning his head to look at him and had to keep silent at the sight.

The sky had begun to darken, which meant the LED lights on the fair rides were switched on, perfect for the aesthetics. A song by _Bea Miller_ was playing over the speakers and the distant screams of thrill seekers filled the air. Tord was currently gazing up at the Sky Tower, a peaceful smile on his face as one hand was shoved into his jean pocket. The other hand lay limp at his side, occasionally tapping his leg to the beat as he lightly bobbed his head in turn to the music. His usual hair horns were messy and laying on his head after the roller coasters they had been on, and a few strands lay messily over his forehead.

His heart pumped rapidly as his cheeks began to flush at the sight, and Tom silently thanked that it was dark so no one could see his red cheeks. His fingers hovered over the number pad on his finger and he could feel the butterflies in his stomach. No, not now. Tom flinched when Tord turned his head to look at him with a smile, and had to avert his gaze to keep from staring any longer. "This is the perfect song for a fair, don't you think Tom?" The Norski questioned, his accent slightly becoming heavier.

"Y-Yeah. Fits real well with everyone screaming." Tom answered as he began to feel his hands tremble. God, stop it! He doesn't need this right now!

Tord cocked his head when he noticed the other wasn't quipping back with a remark about his music taste. "Hey, Tom. Can I do something?" He muttered.

Turning his head back to meet eyes with Tord, he could see the mischievous look in those titanium orbs, and Tom could feel his hood being pulled up over his head before the strings were pulled and it zipped over his face. His vision darkened and he panicked for a bit, before soft lips connected with his and he slumped in the hold.

Mint. His favourite scent. It tasted good too.

It was a shame that Tord had decided to blind him, Tom wanted to see what he looked like. Fuck, the commie was pretty damn good at kissing. When was he good?

The two pulled away from the kiss and Tom hesitantly loosened the strings on the hood, lifting his eyes to meet with a smiling face of the Norski, his cheeks also dusted red, only visible under the bright LED lights behind him. "Du er en bedårende dork. I'm going to go look for them over here, okay? Don't get lost even further, Tom!" Tord said with a wave before rushing off to the left, and Tom weakly gave him a wave back, his mouth lying agape. Gently brushing his fingers over his lips as he watched the other's figure disappear into the crowd of people, Tom could feel nothing but giddy.

The brunet suddenly knew what some people meant by someone could leave you breathless. His head span slightly and he laughed happily, shaking his head to get a better grip on the world ahead of him. Was he really about to pass out after he had been kissed? Tom felt his knees buckle together and his body began to sway, his vision tunneling before his legs gave way and he collapsed to the floor.

The answer to that question is; **_obviously._ **

* * *

When he had come to, Tom found that he was laying on a bed in the medical room of the fair. "Ah, you're awake!" A voice to his side cried, before he groaned and sat up.

"Ouch, my back…" he mumbled, looking up at the person. It seemed to be a group of teenagers who were having fun, just like them.

"Do you have a headache? Or any other sort of aches?" A kind girl that was eating a lollipop questioned, sitting by his side.

Tom shook his head and fixed his mess of a hair, before glancing up at the group. "Wait, did I pass out?" He questioned in confusion. He was pretty sure he was standing up straight and hadn't collided with the ground.

A chuckle to his right caused him to look at a boy who had a bandage over his cheek, and Tom raised an eyebrow. "Dude, passing out is an understatement! Was that your first kiss?" The boy teased through giggles before he was smacked by his friend.

Tom was confused for a brief moment, before he remembered the feel of Tord's gentle lips, his warm smile and the soft tone in his voice, and his cheeks flared up. "W-Wait, you s _aW THAT!?_ " He cried in embarrassment, hiding his head under his hoodie. That didn't really help, because it only brought more memories of the moment back and his cheeks darkened.

"We couldn't help it. You guys _did_ kiss under the biggest spotlight." Another girl said with a smile as she kicked her legs on the high table she was sitting on. "Here, you missed a few calls. I told them you were fine so they should be on their way here."

Taking his phone from the girl, Tom unlocked his phone and checked the notifications; _5 missed calls from Edd_. Ouch, he was out for long. He pushed the phone app and went over to recents, his brows furrowing at the unknown number in his phone. Tom was sure he never left a number unsaved, not even the delivery men.

His chest felt heavy when he remembered he had left his phone with Tord a couple of times, and he was only one who would call an unknown number. Meaning…

_He was still in contact with his soldiers._

Tom pocketed his phone as he swung his legs off the bed; he should probably confront Tord when they went back home. He said his goodbyes and thanks to the group and made his way to the door when a comment from one of the guys made him stop in his tracks. "Make sure you don't pass out when you see him!"

He swallowed a lump in his throat and simply gave the boy the middle finger before trudging on forward.

There was never a moment more heartbreaking than this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I oop-
> 
> No, that meme is dead. Anyway, Tom has finally realised that Tord is still contacting Pat and Pau, and doesn't think it in a good way. Be prepared for a fight next chapter 0.0
> 
> Moving on from the negative, we finally got a kiss! Right!?


	20. You'll See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom confronts Tord about the number

It had finally reached 9pm, and the time for the group to leave the fair was coming up so they turned their wristbands in and headed over to the car park. Eduardo strangely had a grin on his face as his arm was wrapped around Tord's shoulders. "This day was the best! We should hang out a lot more, Edd!" He said through chuckles.

"Sure thing, I was thinking of having a camping trip down in Cornwall anyway." Edd replied with a smile as they bid goodbyes.

Matt made a move to sit in the front, but stopped when he felt a hand grabbing his arm. Turning around to face the person, he noticed it was Tord, and he looked rather down. "Can I sit in the front…?" The ginger slowly asked.

Unsure of what had happened between him and Tom while they got separated, Matt just gave him a nod and slid in the back with the brunet. The car ride home was unusually quiet, save for Edd who was suggesting ideas of places they should go as a group.

When they had finally reached the apartments, Tom had specifically asked for Tord to come on the elevator with him alone. Of course, Edd and Matt couldn't refuse and shoved them in one, but Tord was rather uncomfortable about the whole situation. Listening to the soft whirring of the machine, he could do nothing but tap his fingers gently against the mirror. Tom was standing there silently with his hands in his pockets, clearly not wanting to make eye contact with him.

The Norwegian began to immediately panic, was the kiss something that bad? Did Tom not want it? He wasn't really refusing, but that could have just been the shock. "Mind explaining this?"

The sound of the other's voice jerked him back into reality as he lifted his head to look at the phone screen being shoved into his face. His eyes scanned the contacts in confusion before a very familiar number made him widen his eyes in surprise. Fuck, he had forgotten to delete it. "Tom, I can explain, I-" Tord began.

"This is your soldier, right?" Tom cut him off abruptly, turning the phone off and shoving it back into his pockets. "I rang the number and they began the call with _'Boss'_. Have you even changed?"

"Tom, please this is a misunderstanding!" Tord cried, lifting his hands up in defense. "I'm not ordering them to do anything, they're just checking up on me!"

A scoff. The brunet turned around to fully face him, his eyes narrowed in anger. "You really think I'll believe that? I put up with your whiny ass for a month, I fucking spoon fed you your goddamn medicine and this is the repayment I get!?" He snarled, voice raising every second. "I knew you were hiding something. A rat is never good at keeping secrets you know."

Tord winced when the other grabbed the collar of his shirt and pinned him against the wall, opening his eyes to face the angered expression of his friend. "You fucked with Edd and Matt's feelings again, didn't you? You thought you could get away with it, but you were oh so wrong." Tom shouted, slamming the ginger's head against the mirror. " **Say it!** Say you betrayed us!!"

Silence.

Tord couldn't speak. What would he even say to cool down the situation? Tom was already way over his head that he was sure nothing he would say would work. So he kept quiet, his head hanging low and his messy hair covering the hurt look in his eyes.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. He didn't even have the strength to pull Tom off of him. "Hey guys, I need some help with the bags- what's going on?" Edd called, peeking into the small room.

The grip on his collar loosened and Tom backed away from him with a harsh shove, a scowl plastered on his face as he glared at the Norski with such rage. "Get the fuck out of my sight, you damned traitor." He muttered, before pushing his way out or the elevator.

"Tom, what happen- **TOM**!" Matt yelled as the brunet pushed past him and slammed his apartment door shut. To say the least, the two were very confused; what had happened to cause this?

His mind was blank as his dull brown eyes gazed at the floor, fingers shaking from the feeling of being pinned to the wall. He really thought he was going to die…

_Great, you fucked everything up. Time to pack up your shit and get back to Pat and Pau._

"Tord…?" Edd gently called, poking his head around the elevator doors. He heard the other's shaky laughs before Tord began to drag himself out of the elevator. "Are you okay? Hey, listen to me!"

Ignoring the calls of his friend (could he even call them his friends anymore?), Tord headed straight into the artist's apartment, pushing past the furniture and making his way towards the kitchen. _He needed a fucking drink._

Edd had long since ditched the bags of souvenirs and rushed after Tord, calling his name over and over again. What the hell had happened for them to get into a fight like this? Just moments ago, they were smiling and laughing. "Tord! Where are-" The cartoonist trailed off once he met with the sight in the kitchen.

Two bottles lay empty on the kitchen floor, smashed and some of the content spilling onto the tiles. The Norwegian was currently digging through the fridge for some more with one hand, chugging another bottle with the other. A crimson dust spread over his cheeks and the liquid dripped over his skin and clothing; as he seemingly didn't care. His left hand was cut from the bottle shards but he only dug further into the fridge, not knowing how much he was even drinking.

Edd finally got a grip on himself and marched over to Tord's side, snatching the bottle off of him and raising his voice. "Just what the hell are you doing!?" He yelled at the other.

"What t'e _fuck_? **Hic**. Gimme back the bott'e!" Tord growled, leaping forward and attempting to grab the bottle off Edd. He staggered forwards and collided with the kitchen counter, but his eyes were trained on the brunet. "Wass y'ur problem?"

"What's _my_ problem? Can I ask what exactly are you doing chugging 3 different bottles of whiskey from _my_ fridge!" Edd shouted, handing the bottle over to Matt so he could put it somewhere up high. "What happened between you two?"

Tord just snorted and flipped him off as he leant against the counter to make sure he didn't collapse. "Fuck off, none of y'ur business." He grumbled.

Lifting his hand up as high as he could, Matt swung his arm back and threw the bottle onto the floor with as much force as he could, listening to how it smashed into a million pieces. "Tord, get a **fucking** grip on yourself!" The strawberry blond yelled. "You're drunk, cut in several places and you need to sit down!"

"You fucking ass **hOLE**!!" Tord shouted, lunging at the other and pinning him to the floor. "Why the fuck do you care what happened with me and Tom!? Keep your goddamn mouth shut and leave me the hell alone."

Matt was just about to toss the ginger off of his body when he could feel warm tears dripping onto his cheeks. Lifting his head to look at the Norski, his amber eyes softened at the sight; Tord was crying. "How about we take a break to calm down and then you can tell us what happened?" He gently proposed, sitting up when the other gave a weak nod.

* * *

Brushing a gentle hand through the ginger mess of hair on his lap, Matt gave an exhausted sigh as he looked over at Edd. "I think you should go bring the bags in before someone steals them." He whispered. The other gave a nod and got onto his feet, leaving the two together. 

Tord had explained what had happened through a lot of sobs and self deprecating jokes. Apparently, he had been calling his soldiers back at base to make an arrangement to get his arm amputated with Tom's phone and had forgotten to delete the number. The other found out and exploded on him, causing him to chug several bottles of whiskey to drown the pain out.

Matt shut his eyes tight as he listened to the soft, but ragged breathing of Tord; today was his last day before the operation in the morning and he had wanted it to be filled with nothing but positive energy. He even admitted to kissing Tom because he thought he wouldn't make it in the operation and that had made the blond's heart ache. "Jeez, Tord. You really have no clue what you're doing huh?" He muttered in the darkness of the apartment, before he gave a soft chuckle. "You're gonna have one hell of a hangover before your operation, but that's on you."

_Tom...he'll come around, don't worry. And when he does, I'll give him a punch._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't notice how short it was. For that, I'll be getting to work on the next chapter straight away.
> 
> Just saying you guys have no idea of the ride you're headed towards.... ;^3


	21. Get It Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord leaves for his operation.

The morning arrived quicker than he expected, and Tord had woken up with a headache. Fuck that, he's never drinking again. Groaning as he sat up and rubbed his head, the ginger looked over his shoulder and noticed Matt asleep behind him, snoring away. How much of a drunkard was he last night?

"How's your head doing?" He heard a soft murmur from the kitchen, pinpointing it to be Edd's voice as he got to his feet.

"Shit. Can I have some water?" Tord mumbled, taking the glass from Edd when he poured it for him. He let the liquid wash down his throat, definitely feeling and tasting so much better than the whiskey he was drinking.

Edd gave a sympathetic smile before he gently pushed a plate over to Tord, leaning his elbow against the kitchen counter. "It's on me. What time do you leave?" He questioned.

The chocolate brown orbs of the other glanced over at the clock hanging on the wall and gave a hum. "In about half an hour, actually." Tord replied softly. "I spilled that much, huh?"

"You should've seen yourself!" Edd said with a giggle. "You kept crying and asking for Matt to be your teddy bear!"

A warm flush flushed to his cheeks as he pouted, averting his gaze from the other; so that's why Matt had his arms around him. "Shut up, I don't wanna hear it…." Tord grumbled in embarrassment, poking the bacon with a fork and shoving it in his mouth.

"I'm cold…" a small yawn from the living room brought the two to look into the room, watching as Matt stumbled to his feet. "Aww, are you guys having breakfast without me?"

"Leave the big baby with me, Tord. Go and take a shower, I'll give you some clothes after." Edd called, returning to the pan to make breakfast for himself and Matt.

The strawberry blond let out a whine at that and leant against Tord's body, shutting his eyes in exhaustion. "You're not even gonna give me some of your bacon before you go?" He asked, eyes snapping open when he felt a fork being shoved into his mouth.

"I'm taking some of yours later." Was all Tord said before he headed over to the bathroom to get washed.

Matt blinked at how quiet the other's voice was before slipping the fork out of his mouth. "I don't want him to go." He muttered, watching as the bathroom door shut closed.

"Me neither." Edd replied, flipping the bacon on the pan. None of them expected things to take a turn like this.

* * *

Breakfast whizzed by and the time for Tord to leave had come, leaving two out of the three friends saddened. All his belongings could fit into one backpack, so that was all that was slung over his shoulder. Just as he had said, there was a red car waiting by the apartment building, and two soldiers stood by it.

Edd had managed to drag Tom out of his apartment building and he was currently standing by the door, rubbing his elbow awkwardly. He clearly didn't want to be there, but when he was given the choice to leave, he chose to stay instead.

The Norwegian glanced up at his friends with a weak smile, his hand gripping on the strap of the backpack. "Well, I should be going." He announced, nervously rocking back and forth on his heels.

"Yep. I expect you to be back in top notch shape." Matt called, giving a nod and swinging an arm around Tom's shoulder, who let out a cry of surprise. "Tom will be waiting too! He says bye!"

Tord couldn't help the bubbling laughter in his through, but he forced the tears to stay as he lifted his hand up to wave. "I'll be back. I promise." He softly said, before turning his back and making his way towards the car.

It was painful for him to turn his back on them for the second time, and he did so without looking back. He could barely hear Paul and Patryk welcoming his return, blanking out when they gave him a tight squeeze and a few back rubs, getting himself seated in the car and watching the building as they drove by.

He hated this feeling.

* * *

Edd waved with a wide smile on his face, watching as the bright red car left the driveway and began speeding down the road before he lowered his arm and glared at a certain brunet. "What's your problem?" He snapped. "Tord told me what happened, why'd you do that?"

The other flinched and turned to face him, surprised at the sudden outburst. "Because he was still a traitor-" Tom replied, eyes widening when Edd gave him a harsh slap across the cheek.

"You **dumbass**! He's going into surgery to get his arm amputated today, and he wanted to have fun with us before he did!" The artist yelled. "You didn't even take a second to consider it, you're still jumping to damned conclusions."

The information he was just given made him freeze up; Tord was getting his arm amputated? Was that the reason he kept calling his soldiers? And...he wanted to have fun? He didn't want to play with their feelings….? "He even admitted to being so terrified that the operation would exert so much pressure on his muscles that he would **die**! Tord wanted his last goodbye to be the happiest day of his life and **you** had to go and **_fuck it all up_ **!"

Right...this was Tom's fault. It never was the Norski's fault in the first place. It was Tom who shot the harpoon at him. It was Tom who brought his friend to the edge of death's door. It was Tom who brought him back into his life. And it was Tom who threw him out yet again.

"Edd, that's enough." Matt cut through, grabbing onto the brunet's arm and pulling him away from Tom. "I think he gets it now."

Yes, he got it. He perfectly understood.

Tom turned on his foot, ignoring how the strawberry blond called his name and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'll be in my room…" he muttered, slamming the apartment doors behind him as he set up for the stairs.

_Fuck him. He just wanted to die now._

* * *

Listening to the engine of the car click off, Tord didn't bother to get up and instead stared blankly into the distance of the base. He felt empty, he wanted to go back and apologise, he wanted Matt to hold him tight, he wanted Edd to cook for him, he wanted Tom to teach him instruments, he wanted-

"Tord?"

He glanced upwards when his name entered his ears, facing both of his friends who were staring at him in concern. "Are you alright?" Pat gently asked.

He opened his mouth to reply, say he was fine, but his throat locked up and he couldn't speak. He felt so wrong, he hated being here. And he sure as hell didn't want to face _him_ again. Blinking in confusion when he finally noticed his vision was blurring, Tord raised a hand to rub at his eye, only freezing when he felt the warm tears roll against his skin. "Jesus. C'mere." Paul sighed, pulling him close.

Tord broke in that embrace, letting his tears fall loose and his voice emit the pain his heart was feeling. He gripped and tore at several places of Paul's shirt, but he only held him tighter, shutting his eyes. Patryk stayed quiet, gazing away from the scene as he patiently waited, his own hands trembling as he sat there. _That damned general! Who does he think he is, making a child go through so much?_

The boy finally calmed down, slipping himself out of Paul's arms and wiping the tears from his eyes. "Calmer now?" The brunet gently asked, moving back when he got a nod in response. "We should go, Yanov is waiting for us."

The three of them left the car, heading over to the medical ward to meet up for the appointment. Tord had slipped himself onto the hospital bed as calmly as he could, swinging his legs to and fro as they waited for the doctor. The door clicked open and Yanov strolled in, raising his hand in recognition. "Heya, Tord? How you holding up?" He called, shutting and locking the door before he slipped his fur jacket off.

The Norski responded simply by lifting his arm and arching an eyebrow expectantly. "Ah, that's how it is, isn't it?" Yanov muttered to himself, getting out a needle and a bottle. "This'll be an anesthetic. It'll knock you out in a matter of a minute, numbing your entire body. You won't feel a thing."

Tord's eyes glanced over the bottle before lifting his head. "You've got the prosthetic ready, right?" He questioned, ignoring how he rubbed an antibiotic over his left arm.

"Well, yeah. But your muscles and tendons are gonna have to get used to a missing limb before I put it on. I'd say about a month before you can actually get it on." Yanov replied, injecting the needle into Tord's arm. "For now, try and relax. I'll get your arm done by the time you wake up."

The second it made contact with his skin, Tord felt woozy and exhausted. Maybe the fact that he was suffering from a hangover was doubling the effects. Gently removing the needle from his arm, Yanov lay the other on the bed as he moved away to give him some space. Patryk moved closer to the bed, sliding his fingers into the ginger's calloused ones, his eyes softening; Tord was slipping really quickly. "Want me to sing you to sleep?" He offered.

Tord gave a weak laugh, his eyelids drooping as he let his head rest against the pillow. "Shut up, old man. I'm not a toddler, y'know?" He slurred.

"Doesn't change the fact that I'll do it." Patryk said with a chuckle of his own, before shutting his eyes and singing softly.

_"Vargen ylar i nattens skog_  
_Han vill men kan inte sova_  
_Hungern river i hans varga buk_  
_Och det är kallt i hans stova_

_Du varg du varg, kom inte hit_  
_Ungen min får du aldrig_  
_Du varg du varg, kom inte hit_  
_Ungen min får du aldrig…"_ The dark haired man opened his eyes when he felt Tord's hand go limp in his, facing the teen fast asleep on the hospital bed. "Rest well. We'll give you all the support we can."

"I think it's best that you both leave the room now. After all, I don't think watching this will be a good idea." Yanov announced, gesturing over to Paul, who was currently swaying back and forth nauseously and muttering under his breath.

Patryk gave a nod as he slipped his hand out of the other's, getting to his feet and gently supporting Paul with his arm. "We're counting on you, Yanov." He mumbled, before he left the room, hearing it lock behind him.

_If there is a god, please make sure Tord survives. He needs to._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter is shorter than the other...
> 
> Anyway, Tord is finally knocked out and his surgery is underway, while Tom is coming to realise that not everything he thought was true.
> 
> The lullaby that Patryk sings is a Nordic lullaby called _"The Wolf Song"_.


	22. Arguments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord and Tom fight. That's it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **IMPORTANT**
> 
> Sorry for taking so long, I don't really have the patience to continue this story and it took me a long time to actually write this chapter.
> 
> The Eddsworld fandom is slipping out of my life and it's getting harder to churn out chapters for something I don't have the heart to do.
> 
> I might drop it because I just can't be bothered to write for something I've left, so if anyone wants to become a co-writer, let me know and I'll give you my ideas for this fic.

It had finally reached 9pm, and the time for the group to leave the fair was coming up so they turned their wristbands in and headed over to the car park. Eduardo strangely had a grin on his face as his arm was wrapped around Tord's shoulders. "This day was the best! We should hang out a lot more, Edd!" He said through chuckles.

"Sure thing, I was thinking of having a camping trip down in Cornwall anyway." Edd replied with a smile as they bid goodbyes.

Matt made a move to sit in the front, but stopped when he felt a hand grabbing his arm. Turning around to face the person, he noticed it was Tord, and he looked rather down. "Can I sit in the front…?" The ginger slowly asked.

Unsure of what had happened between him and Tom while they got separated, Matt just gave him a nod and slid in the back with the brunet. The car ride home was unusually quiet, save for Edd who was suggesting ideas of places they should go as a group.

When they had finally reached the apartments, Tom had specifically asked for Tord to come on the elevator with him alone. Of course, Edd and Matt couldn't refuse and shoved them in one, but Tord was rather uncomfortable about the whole situation. Listening to the soft whirring of the machine, he could do nothing but tap his fingers gently against the mirror. Tom was standing there silently with his hands in his pockets, clearly not wanting to make eye contact with him.

The Norwegian began to immediately panic, was the kiss something that bad? Did Tom not want it? He wasn't really refusing, but that could have just been the shock. "Mind explaining this?"

The sound of the other's voice jerked him back into reality as he lifted his head to look at the phone screen being shoved into his face. His eyes scanned the contacts in confusion before a very familiar number made him widen his eyes in surprise. Fuck, he had forgotten to delete it. "Tom, I can explain, I-" Tord began.

"This is your soldier, right?" Tom cut him off abruptly, turning the phone off and shoving it back into his pockets. "I rang the number and they began the call with _'Boss'_. Have you even changed?"

"Tom, please this is a misunderstanding!" Tord cried, lifting his hands up in defense. "I'm not ordering them to do anything, they're just checking up on me!"

A scoff. The brunet turned around to fully face him, his eyes narrowed in anger. "You really think I'll believe that? I put up with your whiny ass for a month, I fucking spoon fed you your goddamn medicine and this is the repayment I get!?" He snarled, voice raising every second. "I knew you were hiding something. A rat is never good at keeping secrets you know."

Tord winced when the other grabbed the collar of his shirt and pinned him against the wall, opening his eyes to face the angered expression of his friend. "You fucked with Edd and Matt's feelings again, didn't you? You thought you could get away with it, but you were oh so wrong." Tom shouted, slamming the ginger's head against the mirror. "Say it! Say you betrayed us!!"

Silence.

Tord couldn't speak. What would he even say to cool down the situation? Tom was already way over his head that he was sure nothing he would say would work. So he kept quiet, his head hanging low and his messy hair covering the hurt look in his eyes.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. He didn't even have the strength to pull Tom off of him. "Hey guys, I need some help with the bags- what's going on?" Edd called, peeking into the small room.

The grip on his collar loosened and Tom backed away from him with a harsh shove, a scowl plastered on his face as he glared at the Norski with such rage. "Get the fuck out of my sight, you damned traitor." He muttered, before pushing his way out or the elevator.

"Tom, what happen- **TOM**!" Matt yelled as the brunet pushed past him and slammed his apartment door shut. To say the least, the two were very confused; what had happened to cause this?

His mind was blank as his dull brown eyes gazed at the floor, fingers shaking from the feeling of being pinned to the wall. He really thought he was going to die…

_Great, you fucked everything up. Time to pack up your shit and get back to Pat and Pau._

"Tord…?" Edd gently called, poking his head around the elevator doors. He heard the other's shaky laughs before Tord began to drag himself out of the elevator. "Are you okay? Hey, listen to me!"

Ignoring the calls of his friend (could he even call them his friends anymore?), Tord headed straight into the artist's apartment, pushing past the furniture and making his way towards the kitchen. He needed a fucking drink.

Edd had long since ditched the bags of souvenirs and rushed after Tord, calling his name over and over again. What the hell had happened for them to get into a fight like this? Just moments ago, they were smiling and laughing. "Tord! Where are-" The cartoonist trailed off once he met with the sight in the kitchen.

Two bottles lay empty on the kitchen floor, smashed and some of the content spilling onto the tiles. The Norwegian was currently digging through the fridge for some more with one hand, chugging another bottle with the other. A crimson dust spread over his cheeks and the liquid dripped over his skin and clothing; as he seemingly didn't care. His left hand was cut from the bottle shards but he only dug further into the fridge, not knowing how much he was even drinking.

Edd finally got a grip on himself and marched over to Tord's side, snatching the bottle off of him and raising his voice. "Just what the hell are you doing!?" He yelled at the other.

"What t'e _fuck_? **Hic**. Gimme back the bott'e!" Tord growled, leaping forward and attempting to grab the bottle off Edd. He staggered forwards and collided with the kitchen counter, but his eyes were trained on the brunet. "Wass y'ur problem?"

"What's my problem? Can I ask what exactly are you doing chugging 3 diifferent bottles of whiskey from my fridge!" Edd shouted, handing the bottle over to Matt so he could put it somewhere up high. "What happened between you two?"

Tord just snorted and flipped him off as he leant against the counter to make sure he didn't collapse. "Fuck off, none of y'ur business." He grumbled.

Lifting his hand up as high as he could, Matt swung his arm back and threw the bottle onto the floor with as much force as he could, listening to how it smashed into a million pieces. "Tord, get a fucking grip on yourself!" The strawberry blond yelled. "You're drunk, cut in several places and you need to sit down!"

"You fucking assh **OLE**!!" Tord shouted, lunging at the other and pinning him to the floor. "Why the fuck do you care what happened with me and Tom!? Keep your goddamn mouth shut and leave me the hell alone."

Matt was just about to toss the ginger off of his body when he could feel warm tears dripping onto his cheeks. Lifting his head to look at the Norski, his amber eyes softened at the sight; Tord was crying. "How about we take a break to calm down and then you can tell us what happened?" He gently proposed, sitting up when the other gave a weak nod.

* * *

Brushing a gentle hand through the ginger mess of hair on his lap, Matt gave an exhausted sigh as he looked over at Edd. "I think you should go bring the bags in before someone steals them." He whispered. The other gave a nod and got onto his feet, leaving the two together. 

Tord had explained what had happened through a lot of sobs and self deprecating jokes. Apparently, he had been calling his soldiers back at base to make an arrangement to get his arm amputated with Tom's phone and had forgotten to delete the number. The other found out and exploded on him, causing him to chug several bottles of whiskey to drown the pain out.

Matt shut his eyes tight as he listened to the soft, but ragged breathing of Tord; today was his last day before the operation in the morning and he had wanted it to be filled with nothing but positive energy. He even admitted to kissing Tom because he thought he wouldn't make it in the operation and that had made the blond's heart ache. "Jeez, Tord. You really have no clue what you're doing huh?" He muttered in the darkness of the apartment, before he gave a soft chuckle. "You're gonna have one hell of a hangover before your operation, but that's on you."

_Tom...he'll come around, don't worry. And when he does, I'll give him a punch._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you want to continue this bc I don't feel like finishing it.


	23. ⚠️No Longer Updating!⚠️

I am no longer in the eddsworld fandom, and with that this fic has been discontinued.

Sorry for not speaking about it earlier, but with people asking me to update it kinda got on my nerves and I just left the entire thing alone.

If you want to adopt this fic and further it more than I could ever do, feel free to send me a chat.

That's all, sorry for not saying anything for so long, but I'm not in the ew fandom anymore.


End file.
